EFL Learner Perceptions of Differentiated Speaking Assessment Tasks.

Although differentiated instruction and assessment correspond with various motivation and learning theories, few studies have examined the use of differentiated assessment in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. Therefore, in this study, the manner in which EFL learners perceived aspects of differentiated assessment regarding validity, fairness, backwash, and ways to improve differentiated assessment task construction was examined. The effects of group learning orientation (GLO) and English proficiency on learner perceptions were also investigated. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by administrating questionnaires to 300 university sophomores and interviewing 6 participants. Descriptive analyses, one-way and two-way analyses of variance, simple effect analyses, and the constant comparative method were used for data analyses. Overall positive perceptions were observed, thus supporting the implementation of differentiated assessment to facilitate language development in mixed-ability second language (L2) speaking classes. Learner perceptions were found to be affected by the level of English proficiency and GLO. Interaction effects between proficiency and GLO were also observed. The findings are discussed in terms of pedagogical recommendations for using differentiation in L2 contexts and suggestions for conducting further research concerning differentiated assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]