For the course LT 549, Measuring Language Ability, I focused on classroom assessment in context and understanding assessment process that has a multifaceted nature. Drawing on Brown and Abeywickrama’s (2018) principles of good testing, validity, reliability, practicality, washback, authenticity, transparency, we not only reflected on several assessment practices but also learned to design and develop a credible assessment that serves its purpose for students. For creating all assessment activities during this class, I considered the context of teaching Urdu as a foreign language to heritage language learning. We also reflected on our own designs by regularly looking for principles. For example, the reading assessment I created for this course is  formative in nature and aims to assess learners’ ability to recognize and comprehend basic Urdu vocabulary and write in Nasta’liq script. The assessment has high content and construct validity because the article is carefully selected and it is adapted by the teacher. For example, it is adjusted subjectively to meet with students’ level of language. Similarly, the micro-skills assessed on this test are constructs that are aligned with unit goals and lesson objectives leading to high face validity.

The second artifact is the Speaking Assessment that was designed for the same context, Beginner’s Urdu for heritage language learners. This formal formative assessment evaluates the speaking skills of novice level learners. It aims to assess their ability to hold brief interactions with an interlocutor using basic Urdu vocabulary and simple sentences. Another important aspect to consider when creating assessment is to look at the profile of content such as does content represent the information correct? what is the word frequency and the level of text?  For this purpose, the current assessment relies on research for authentic and relevant resources for learners including books, websites, and even social media. The tasks in this activity require integration of listening skills, so I recorded exercises for learners and aligned them with the constructs of assessments. Also, the tasks are an important part of any assessment and this activity is well-balanced because it has the mix of close-ended and open-ended questions.  This balance between both gives it a high reliability because it welcomes both objective and subjective feedback from teacher. Another important aspect of assessment that we focused on this course is the designing of rubric. Rubrics are tools for giving feedback based on clear criteria previously provided to learners (Hughes, 2003). 

Language testing in general has been going through different trends and practices ranging from proficiency tests, diagnostic tests, placement tests, to aptitude tests. However, experts have still been challenged to create more authentic assessment instruments for learners that enhance their relevance to real world interaction. To address the issue of authenticity, performance-based assessment has gained much prominence in recent times. It includes, “open-ended problem-solving tasks, hands-on projects, students’ portfolios and journals, experiments” (Brown & Lee, 2015, p. 504). Through the LTS program in general, I have been learning about performance-based assessment through different courses.  It not only reduced my anxiety and fear but also shifted my focus from judgement to development of learners. For example, peer assessment encouraged my collaboration and critical thinking skills. Reflection reports made me more intrinsically motivated and become self-aware on the level where I can see the why behind getting into the teaching profession. Through project-based learning in LT 548, curriculum designing course, I developed skills to navigate language teaching in real-world by designing a course. Portfolio projects in pragmatics and assessment courses allowed me to create repositories of resources and my personalized examples that I not only can use and share later but also expand on for specific goals. Student-led second language teaching practicum (aka, Talking with Ducks) empowered me to present and develope my skills with peers under the supervision of a teachers’ trainer, Dr. Pashby. Action-research Iris and I conducted for the course LT 611 addressed the real-world problems of students that I was previously engaged with in my work experience. This language pedagogy research engaged me in active inquiry and find the practical application of my research skills.