The missing curriculum: preparing English Home Language teachers for the practice of assessment

Abstract

A theory/practice divide is a challenge in many fields, and potentially can lead to graduates being unable to complete the core tasks required of them competently once in the workplace. To be adequately prepared, they need to realize theory informs practice, and vice versa. One such example is preparing teachers who can assess the language development of their students effectively. By the time pre-service teachers (intermediate phase) qualify, they are expected to be well acquainted with the policies governing assessment of English as Home Language. However, there is a widespread perception that many are not ‘classroom ready’, which affects their ability to monitor and assess the language development of primary school children. The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of the theory/practice divide in teacher education at a university in the Western Cape, South Africa. It explores how pre-service teachers are prepared to implement assessment strategies as required by the national policy for language teaching at primary school level. The study draws on Legitimation Code Theory’s Semantics dimension. Semantic gravity is used as an organising concept to track the context dependence in a language teaching curriculum of the teacher preparation programme and the policy documents. A specific translation device defines eight strengths of semantic gravity. This was used to code the data in order to identify possible gaps and weaknesses with regard to the theoretical and practical underpinning of assessment. Areas of focus were the principles of assessment policies, pre-service teacher education, classroom practice, and school management. A semantic analysis reveals changes between stronger and weaker forms of semantic gravity, and the relation between them. A comparison of their semantic waving shows convergences and discrepancies between teacher preparation and the demands of policy. The study found that there was more that constrained than enabled novice teachers’ preparation for assessment practice. An imbalance between theory/practice in the teacher education curriculum and expectations of policy was revealed. Examples of findings such as novice teachers’ and final year students’ limited understanding of assessment principles, the purpose of assessment, their uncertainty of being assessors and inability to implement policy were identified. School managers were not aware of the lack of assessment knowledge of novice teachers and did not provide the necessary support required for assessment practices once these novice teachers entered the workplace. Several recommendations arose from this study. It was recommended that policy documents clearly explain the assessment theory and principles on which the policy is founded; be less prescriptive and use precise terminology. Lecturers have to ensure that teacher educators in English Home Language are exposed to effective pedagogy and reflection in assessment literacy and accreditation. Collaboration is necessary between higher education institutions and the National Department of Basic Education to address and strengthen the linkages between conceptual and contextual forms of assessment knowledge in the preparation of pre-service teachers to ensure that they become competent practitioners. The “missing curriculum” was a term created and used in an open discussion involving lecturers and education officials to generate a solution for bridging gaps between teacher training and the education system. Researching the “missing curriculum”, was identified as a lack of practical knowledge on assessment which is important to create a balance between teacher education and teaching practice. Further research is needed on assessment policy, teacher education curricula, classroom practice, and assessment management that are underpinned by a principled account of practical knowledge as well as theoretical knowledge. Without a thorough understanding of practice-based and contextual knowledge, there is a danger that theoretical knowledge itself will be undermined. The tools provided by semantic gravity laid the groundwork for an understanding of practical assessment knowledge and its relation to theoretical assessment knowledge, and it was illustrated that a deep understanding of both conceptual and contextual assessment knowledge is necessary to prepare novice teachers for assessment practice.