Language Authenticity in Assessments and Assignments

Introduction

Every day we communicate with one another either consciously or not through various means other than talking and writing. Communication gets serious and more conscious when we are faced with attention-demanding situations like assessments and assignments. One factor that characterizes such interactions is the authenticity of the language used, which, according to Schmidt (1994), is regarded as a measure of intellectual accomplishments such as significance, meaning, and value. This paper is focusing on language authenticity together with other surrounding aspects. The overarching research question in the paper is, “What does the research show about major assessment tests using authentic language and its current impact on scoring?” The question further prompts two more research questions; “What are the uses of Authenticity in assessments?” and “What sort of impact does language authenticity have in international schools?” The aim of the work from the research questions is to establish what research is showing regarding major assessment tests done through authentic language in addition to the current impact on scoring. Also, the paper seeks to establish the authenticity of language as it affects international schools concerning the acquisition. The approach taken by the paper is assessments of relevant literature materials to establish the view of different scholars and research on the topic.

Language Authenticity

The concept of authenticity, as described by Emerick (2019), refers to a stretch of real language provided to a real audience by a real speaker and is designed to pass some sort of real message. Based on this definition, authentic materials can also be described as written or spoken language data produced from genuine communication; however, not written for language teaching purposes. The aspect of language authenticity can be contrasted with contrivance in the sense that the latter is involved in the designing of materials for the use of pedagogical or testing. In general, authenticity in language translates to better communication in English Language Training (ELT). Some of the advantages associated with authenticity in language teaching, as described by Kessler (1997), include the following: the first one is that it helps in improving the motivation and attitudes of learners in addition to fostering greater learner autonomy. Secondly, it promotes higher-order thinking skills coupled with competencies. Thirdly, it enhances the task and test performance of learners as further described by Kessler (1997) in his research work and finally acts as a rich information source regarding varied communicative competence aspects.

Going by the benefits associated with authentic language, many researchers on language have implied that educators need to make good use of authentic language materials. Those undertaking English-as-a-second Language (ESL) learning should embrace authentic language more. This approach has the potential of addressing the challenges faced by educators by providing remedies to possible issues, as described by Ekbatani and Pierson, (2010).

Major Assessment Tests using Authentic Language and Current impact on scoring

Authenticity in language learning has basic characteristics, which are sometimes referred to as its cornerstones. According to Dimova and Tinker-Sachs (2012), the four significant pillars of authenticity in language are as follows:

• Texts, materials, and sources.
• Cultural context, situation, and environment.
• Objectives of the act of communication, which can be tasks or tests.
• Participants can be teachers versus learners and native speakers versus non-native speakers.

Authenticity in language assessment, as described by Schmidt (1994), refers to an array of both formal and non-formal procedures that are used in a bid to establish what foreign language learners have knowledge of and can do in a language continuously. The assessment is involving many stakeholders, with the main ones being teachers, designers of the tests, policymakers, administrators such as advisors and admission officers, and the students who are the test-takers during the assessment.

It is worth noting that authentic assessment in this context refers to an evaluation where students are tasked with performing real-world activities that are demonstrating the meaning application of critical skill and knowledge as described by Staples, Biber, and Reppen (2018). This type of language assessment can be either situational or interactional. The situational appraisal of language authenticity is characterized by demonstrating how tasks in tests are simulating real-life tasks outside the test situation. On the other hand, interactional assessment of language authenticity is characterized by establishing the extent to which the task takers are engaged with the method of testing and input to finish the task of testing.

Authentic assessment has significant differences when compared with a traditional assessment, which, according to Staples, Biber, and Reppen (2018), refers to standardized testing involved in the use of questions with a limited choice of responses. The traditional assessment method is associated with true or false questions, multiple-choice questions, and short-form answers. While authentic language assessment is direct, alternative, and performance-oriented, the traditional counterpart is discrete. Another significant difference is that the authentic assessment is interactive involving teaching, learning, and assessment while at the same time formative to indicate continuity. On the other hand, the traditional assessment is using standardized tests and is summative instead. With the significant differences between the two language assessment methods, the authentic assessment method has a substantial impact on scoring.

Staples, Biber, and Reppen (2018) point out that while traditional standardized tests indicate academic performance, they can always mislead students into believing that the process of learning is all about cramming and related rote learning. On the other hand, the authentic language approach, on the contrary, improves the process of teaching and learning. For instance, it helps the students to perceive themselves as active participants working on a relevant task and not passive recipients of information and obscure facts. Consequently, it encourages teachers to reflect on the relevance of what they teach while providing results that are useful in improving instruction. The impact it has is that the authentic approach to teaching promotes excellent scoring of students. The students are likely to have a deeper comprehension of language, especially those undertaking ESL through active participation leading to higher scores.

Uses of Authenticity in Assessments

The characteristics of authentic assessment, as compared to traditional assessments, have shown several unique differences. These differences can be summed up into the following conclusions. In essence, the first one is that the authentic assessment, when involved in language teaching, drives the curriculum while in the traditional evaluation, it is the curriculum that inspires the assessment. In this regard, as established by Frye and Anderson (2002), in their research, the authenticity approach towards assessment in language teaching and learning is controlling the processes involved in the processes. In this regard, the curriculum does not remain rigid but can accommodate changes that are necessary along with the teaching and learning processes.

Another use of authenticity is that it portrays real-life situations by allowing students to participate in doing tasks actively. This aspect of authentic assessment can be retrieved from the components of authentic assessment. According to Frye and Anderson (2002), one of the components of authentic assessment is performance standards, where there is a clarification of what students need to know as well as be able to do during a particular period of teaching and learning. This approach does away with rote learning and therefore makes the processes of assessment measurable and quantifiable.

The second component of authentic assessment is that it has criteria that are indicators of the extent of performance on tasks. This aspect of the authentic approach provided clear and observable statements regarding how given tasks should be undertaken. This component of authentic assessment is clarifying what assessments should entail and, therefore, can be a way of making assessments understandable to both students and teachers through enhancing communication between them. Through this, educators are empowered with meaningful opportunities to support their student’s perfect self-reflection, critical thinking, and engage in self-directed inquiry.  Therefore the students are allowed to engage in realistic activities using real-world tools that can be critical in addressing real problems later in their professional practice.

The third component of authentic assessment is the aspect of the authentic task, which, according to Frye and Anderson (2002), is a specific real-life demonstration of the skill mastery and knowledge of students. This situation is described through Barnett’s theory of authenticity, which holds that authenticity is the voice of the learners (Ramezanzadeh and Rezaei, 2019). From this component, assessments are verifiable about real-life events. For instance, in the case of teaching English as a second language, through authentic assessment, the students can be subjected to actual participation in communication through the English language either through writing or speaking. These actions can be verified; thus, authenticity in assessment can be used to verify them based on standards.

The fourth component of authentic assessment is the presence of rubric, which can either be analytical or holistic. The presence of rubric is an indication of clear guidelines towards the undertaking of assessments. Additionally, the rubric in authentic assessment is one sign that authenticity helps in guiding the thinking of the learners into doing the right thing and leaving room for them to think critically. Some further elements of the rubric in authentic assessments include focus, group work, speaking voice, effective follow-up questions, and attitude, which are supposed to guide students into doing the right thing while working on an assignment for assessment. This leads to the conclusion that authenticity in assessment improves the presentation of assessments, which could otherwise be misleading when not understood by learners.

From the components of authentic assessment, it can be noted that they lead to the improvement of assessments from different perspectives. The bigger picture in this regard is that authenticity in assessments aims at making the process and activity user friendly. The U.S. Department of Education (2015) research found that authentic assessment can vary, but it serves the same purpose improving the users of the language. The same information reflects in survey data from the same urgency, the U.S. Department of Education. (2015), at both local and international levels. Thus, it can be said that authentic assessment is user-friendly and student-centered.

The Impacts language Authenticity has in International Schools

International Baccalaureate (IB) or simply International schools are global; non-profit education programs aim to offer all students the chance of receiving an education that is fit for the globalized world (Dimova and Tinker-Sachs, 2012). All the IB programs are intended to improve the intellectual ability of students, their personalities, their skills, and their emotional skills. The international schools, among other requirements, are concerned with the language for one to get admission to such institutions. This implies that the language authenticity has deeply embedded impact of language on the international schools and consequently to the students. First of all, the work of authenticity regarding language testing is to enable the students to use tasks and formats that are reflective of the types of situations in which students would have the best chance to authentically use the target language (Laba et al. 2014).

The use of language authenticity by itself has several impacts on international schools and, by extension, the international students. The first benefit that it has towards international schools is improved communicative competence. Castillo et al. (2017) describe communicative competence as the knowledge of language component characterized by two types of abilities: organizational and pragmatic competence. The pragmatic competence, as further described by Castillo et al. (2017), is the ability of the students to control a language’s functional features. On the other hand, organizational competence is associated with the ability to have control over the language structure together with the knowledge of text formation based on the rules of rhetorical organization and regulations of cohesion. It, therefore, means that the use of language authenticity in international schools will improve their communicative competence.

Language authenticity has the potential of improving international schools through the use of authentic materials and tasks (Kessler 1997). The authentic materials used in complementing the course syllabus, such as postcards, brochures, newspapers, and advertisements, are both linguistically and culturally rich, according to Adams (1995). The use of these materials is essential in positively improving the motivation, attention, and curiosity of the students. The reason for this is that the approach of using authentic materials causes constant and the natural desire of inquiry from the students to their peers and teachers based on their activities through international teaching assistants (ITAs) (Christian and Rybarczyk, 2013). This situation is reflective of Adams’ perception of authentic materials as tools of exposing and helping students to gain authentic language (Adams, 1995). It does this by providing learners with opportunities to make use of language while at the same time, the attention and curiosity of learners are maintained. This effect on international students using language authenticity is further reflected in international schools directly through international students. For instance, Lüddecke (2016) points out that language authenticity prepares students for civic engagement, curriculum planning involvement, knowledge co-construction, and political involvement. In this regard, it can be seen that international schools benefit greatly through language authenticity through the impacts on the students.

Conclusion

Language authenticity, as seen from the above discussion, has a significant impact on both assignments and assessments of students. It has the effect of passing the desired message from a real speaker to a real audience. Language authenticity has been portrayed in both assignment and assessment of students. An authentic assessment in comparison to traditional assessment is more beneficial since it is student-centered by focusing on improving the language ability of students.

Consequently, the review has shown that authentic language has a positive impact on improving the scores of students. Concerning authenticity in assessment, the review shows that through the components of authenticity, it allows the students to demonstrate mastery of skills and knowledge through assessment. By this, it provides the students to have adequate self-expression in what they have learned. The review has also indicated that language authenticity has an essential impact on international schools by positively impacting international students. The general outcome of the review is that language authenticity is good in assessments, assignments, and improving international schools.

Results

The study is concerned with establishing what research shows about major assessment tests using authentic language and its current impact on scoring. The overarching question for the research study therefore is, “What does the research show about major assessment tests using authentic language and its current impact on scoring?” Further, it has led to two more research questions: 1) what are the uses of authenticity in assessments? And 2) what sort of impact does language authenticity have in international schools?” The literature review has revealed significant findings that have responded to the overarching question in addition to the complementing ones. The following are some of the main results in terms of reflection from the literature review.

Language Authenticity and Its Benefits

It has been found that the concept of language authenticity simply means the stretch of real language to the actual audience by a real speaker to pass certain information. From the definition and application of language authenticity, as described by Emerick (2019) and Kessler (1997), there are four main advantages of the concept. The benefits include improvement of motivation and attitude of learners, promoting higher-order thinking skills, enhancing tasks and test performance, and a rich source of information regarding aspects of communicative competence. The aim of finding the benefits of authentic language concerning its impact on scoring by learners can be associated with the topic which revolves around the views of scholars on the use of authentic language. Numerous researches have indicated that the benefits of authentic language can improve both the learners and the instructors, especially in their communication, which essentially enhances the scoring of the learners. The reason for this observation is that enhanced communication, as described by Emerick (2019), results in improved internalization of concepts between learners and instructors. These authentic benefits further address the two supplemental research questions by outlining the uses of authentic language and its impacts.

The Basic Characteristics of Authentic Language with Regards to Scoring

The review of authentic language assessment has been found to have four fundamental pillars, which are also the basic characteristics of the concept. These pillars include the concept of having texts, materials, and sources; cultural context, situation and environment; objectives of communication representing tasks; and participants who are both teachers and learners. These pillars are associated with the overarching question in that they revolve around both instructors and learners. It is worth noting that in a serious set up involving learners and instructors, there are elements of testing of the concepts taught; thus, the aspect of the score is inevitable. With increased close interaction, there are high chances that the two participants, in this case, the instructor and the learner, will have to find a way of enhancing the delivery method, which translates to improved understanding. When there is improved delivery of content, the impact on scoring will be positive to reflect enhanced scores for the learners.

The Practicality of Authentic Language

The authentic language, as identified by Staples, Biber, and Reppen (2018), is either situational or interactional. The situational aspect of the language is representative of real-life simulation. On the other hand, the interactional aspect is concerned with the extent to which the task takers are engaged in their various assigned tasks. In this regard, it differs from the traditional assessment methods, which are limited in terms of delivery. For instance, the scope of delivery in the traditional assessment method involves multiple-choice questions, true or false questions, and short-form answers.

On the contrary, the authentic language approach to assessment is concerned with interactive techniques. The practicality of the authentic language technique of evaluation is more desirable when there is a need to have active learning since the approach is helping the learners to grasp concepts quickly. It, therefore, improves the process of teaching and learning, which can be associated with further enhancing the scores of tests by the learners, even those undergoing ESL through active participation.

Application of Authentic Language in Assessments

In comparison to the traditional assessment methods, the authentic language assessment method is characterized by driving the curriculum while the counterpart is inspiring the assessment (Frye and Anderson, 2002). Driving the curriculum indicates that the authentic language assessment method is flexible and can, therefore, accommodate any dynamics with time. On the other hand, the traditional counterpart is representing a rigid system that will not accommodate changes along the way.

Together with this, the authentic language enhances active participation for the learners, which is the direct opposite of what the traditional approach is presenting. In the case of learning ESL through an authentic language approach, the learners are subjected to practical involvement through participation characterized by real-time engagement in pronunciations. With the active involvement, the learners are likely to improve in their grasp of concept since they have the chance to apply their learned skills and concept. Looking at the situation in line with scores, the approach through authentic learning is appropriate in ensuring that the scores are improved through active participation by exposing the learners to the real experience of learning the foreign concepts.

It is worth noting that the review of literature has identified ingredients of authentic language, which are essential in demonstrating its effectiveness. The first ingredient holds that the authentic language approach is associated with an authentic task, which is characterized by real-life skill demonstration as described by Ramezanzadeh and Rezaei (2019). Secondly, the method has a holistic or analytical rubric to help with clear guidelines for its implementation. These components are associated with improving assessments of learners and are also related to enhancing their scores. They continue to make the process of teaching and learning to be user friendly. When it involves language teaching and learning, it helps in improving the pace and efficiency of learning these languages. The reason for this is the fact that authentic language learning is associated with active participation, which has been linked with improving the grasp of concepts. This aspect, therefore, can translate to improving the scores of learners.

Impact on International Schools

An authentic language approach used in international schools helps in language testing to allow for the application of tasks and formats that simulate real-life situations as described by Laba et al. (2014). Consequently, the impact is felt by the students who, in most cases, are undertaking ESL. The approach taken by the authentic language results in pragmatic competence by the students; this enables them to control the functional features of the language. Based on this effect on international students, it helps to improve international schools. The effect still revolves around the techniques used by the language approach, which has been identified as involving active participation resulting in the active grasp of concepts.

Issue Analysis

The results derived from the literature review section are found to be based on a common aspect of the use of authentic language. This aspect is, as opposed to its traditional approach, is highly involved with the active participation by both the learners and the teachers. Regardless of the level of application, locally or internationally, the active application of the authentic language approach is holding firm. This aspect can be summarized with the theories of active learning.

According to Sener and Savarese (2017), active learning refers to the experiences that stimulate the mental activities leading to meaningful learning. Through active learning, ideas and skills can be identified and applied in an array of thought-stimulating activities that range from direct to discovery learning. Direct learning, in this case, can include ideas internalized through books, web-pages, televisions, and radio shows, among others. On the other hand, learning by discovery involves active participation, which is characterized by the learners experimenting on ideas and skills. The latter is more effective as it incorporates real-life involvement.

The approach through the use of authentic language can be associated with metacognition, which is a personalized theory of learning. It helps in understanding higher-order thinking incorporating active control of the cognitive processes that are closely involved with learning. The theory further holds that when one is aware of the learning process, their learning is improved dramatically, as explained by Richmond et al. (2017). The process of metacognition, therefore, reduces the thinking period by an analysis that describes a situation where too much information can hinder decision-making. Thus, through the use of an authentic language approach, the learners are always in the present moment of learning, which improves their learning experiences and scores as well. Consequently, the research works explored are implying that the use of authentic language is effective in improving scores of learners at both local and international levels in their assessment tests.

Conclusions

The use of authentic language from the literature review, analysis, and discussion has been established to foster active learning, contrary to the traditional approach. This revelation has been arrived at based on related research works. Various researchers have demonstrated the impact of the approach, which has been shown through the different themes of advantages, basic characteristics, the difference between authentic language approach and traditional approach, authenticity in assessments, and the impact on international schools.

The literature review approach to the research has been useful in consolidating the thoughts of researchers concerning the use of authentic language as opposed to the traditional approach. The unique thing about the research is that despite the locations and times of the research works that were undertaken, they all had a common result supporting the use of authentic language in the teaching and learning processes. The approach of study through literature review has also assisted in dissecting the issue from various parts of the world and different times, a process that could have been a big challenge if actual research work involving participants could be carried out.

From the themes, the overriding one is active participation, which has been linked with metacognition theory. It has been associated with explaining how active participation in activities stimulates the brain to process faster the learning of concepts faster. The results and analysis of the review have, therefore, shown that authentic language has a significant contribution to major assessment tests, which contribute to improving scores. This aspect is answering the overarching question in addition to the other two subsequent questions by indicating the uses of authenticity in assessments and the impact that language authenticity has on international schools.

Resolution

Policy/Issue Brief

Executive Summary

The work is aimed to establish what research shows about major assessment tests using authentic language and its current impact on scoring. The approach used to investigate the issue is through a literature review of relevant articles and publications. The results show that the use of authentic language is more participatory than a passive approach, which is typical of traditional methods for learning, teaching, and assessments. It is concluded that the use of authentic language has the impact of fostering quality learning, which further improves the scoring of learners during assessments of tests. The findings imply that the authentic language approach is best describing a revolutionary approach to teaching and learning of ESL and can improve the scores both locally and internationally. Thus, it is recommended that learners and instructors make good use of the authentic language approach.

Introduction

The main aim of learning is to acquire new knowledge and skills more effectively to the extent that one can apply them in real-life situations. In learning of language through interaction, there are majorly two approaches that can be applied: the traditional method and the authentic language approach, which is considered a revolutionary means of delivery of content. There is dire need to have smooth facilitation of the learning and teaching process, which is demonstrated through assessments and, finally, the scores of those assessed. The benefits of good learning are seen in its impact of ensuring is seen in its effects on the learners in their solving of life issues. For instance, with learning language, mainly foreign (English as a foreign language, ESL), the benefits are seen when a foreigner can speak the language and effectively communicate with people. The purpose of this study is to establish what research shows about major assessment tests using authentic language and its current impact on scoring.

Approaches and Results

Approach towards the study is a literature review of diverse articles and publications that are closely related to the use of authentic language in comparison to the traditional processes. The review delves into details of the concept of authentic language and further establishes themes and other salient issues. The relevant materials chosen for the review have variation in their years of publications, and this has helped to establish the trend that has been established over time with regard to the application of authentic language.

The results of the review indicate the significant importance of the use of authentic language that makes it more revolutionary than the traditional means. Some of the key benefits identified include the following: it helps in improving the motivation and attitudes of learners in addition to fostering greater learner autonomy. It promotes higher-order thinking skills coupled with competencies. It enhances the task and test performance of learners. Last but not least, it acts as a rich information source regarding varied communicative competence aspects. All these benefits are linked closely with the essential characteristics of authentic language use, and thus, it improves the process of learning by driving the curriculum. One overarching result is that authentic language use is facilitating active learning that is closely related to metacognition theory, which explains how active learning stimulates the brain to grasp concepts faster.

In conclusion, the use of authentic language, as demonstrated by the study, has a positive impact on the scoring of major assessment tests as implied by various scholars in their diverse works. Additionally, the use of authentic language improves the assessments as well as international schools. The study, therefore, has answered the research question by affirming that major research works are unanimously supporting the notion that the use of authentic language helps in improving scoring.

Implications as well as Recommendations

The implication of the study shows that the use of authentic language is the best way of improving teaching and learning, consequently leading to the improvement of scores. Additionally, the study has indicated that the best way of ascertaining the truth about research subjects is through intensive research. The implication in this regard is that the research expels doubts and reinforcing truth about the research subject. The study has also implied that the use of traditional ways of teaching and learning has been outdated based on the fact that it is not student-centered and is never explorative. These implications can further lead to recommendations that will better improve the process of teaching and learning. In the first place, it is recommended for instructors and learners to embrace the use of authentic language whenever possible and minimize the use of traditional means of teaching and learning. Secondly, in the process of teaching and learning, research-based approaches need to be encouraged as they help in giving tried and tested solutions to challenges.

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