Academia.eduAcademia.edu
European Journal of English Language Teaching ISSN: 2501-7136 (on-line) ISSN-L: 2501-7136 (print) Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu 10.5281/zenodo.53153 Volume 1│Issue 1│2015 A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE Ch. S. Sailajai Lecturer in English Language Teaching, Sri Padmavathi Mahila Hindu College of Education, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India Abstract: Education is the powerful tool which helps to modify the behaviour of the child according to the needs and expectancy of the society. Student s attitude is an integral part of learning and that it should, therefore become an essential component of second language learning pedagogy. Attitudes toward learning are believed to influence behaviours such as selecting and reading books, speaking in a foreign language etc. Especially in Education, if the students have positive attitude towards any subject, they can achieve many things in that specific area. There is an interaction between language learning and the environmental components in which the students were grown up. Both negative and positive attitudes have a strong impact on the success of language learning. There are many factors that might cause the students low proficiency in English. One might be attributed to petroleum engineering students motivation towards the English language. This is because learners motivation has been widely accepted as a key factor which influences the rate and success of second/foreign language learning and motivation of the students is one of the most important factors influencing their success or failure in learning the language". “nother factor is learners attitudes. This is because an ESL/EFL learner's motivation in language learning is affected by his/her attitudes towards learning the language. Keywords: learning anxiety, engineering students, environmental components, students motivation . i Correspondence: sailaja.kaza60@gmail.com Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015. 1 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1. Anxiety during Second Language Learning Anxiety in language is defined as the feelings of tension and apprehension during reading, speaking, learning, listening and writing English language. According to researchers, there is trait anxiety, state anxiety, situation-specific anxiety, and facilitating and test anxiety. Trait anxiety is a permanent predisposition to be anxious whereas state anxiety is related to some particular event or act. Situation-specific anxiety which refers to anxiety experience is a well-defined situation. Speaking is an important skill to communicate with each other both in first and second language. Students of second language learner feel nervousness while speaking in classroom. Students are afraid of talking with each other in English because they are of the view that their peers would make joke of them. This reluctant becomes a severe problem for students in English language learning. Students mostly deal with pronunciation, apprehension, grammar, fluency and vocabulary problems. Rural students have problem in both learning and speaking English. Foreign language anxiety consists of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings and behaviors related to classroom language learning arising from the uniqueness of the language learning process . Foreign language learning process is a unique process, because learners are required to communicate using a language which they have not mastered perfectly. Three components of foreign language anxiety have been identified: a. communication apprehension, b. fear of negative evaluation, and c. test anxiety. Students who exhibit communication apprehension do not feel comfortable communicating in the target language in front of others, due to their limited knowledge of the language, especially in relation to speaking and listening skills. Students who experience fear of negative evaluation do not consider language errors as a natural part of the learning process, but as a threat to their image, and a source for negative evaluations either from the teacher or their peers. As a result, they are silent and withdrawn most of the time, and do not participate in language activities. Students who experience test anxiety consider the foreign language process, and especially oral production, as a test situation, rather than an opportunity for communication and skills improvement. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 2 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2. Need for the Study While foreign language speaking anxiety is a common phenomenon in the teaching of English as a foreign language, it seems that teachers do not always identify anxious students, and attribute their unwillingness to engage in speaking tasks to factors such as lack of motivation, or poor attitude . An additional problem concerns the fact that although there is an abundance of theoretical articles on general language anxiety, there seems to be a relative paucity of empirical studies focusing specifically on the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety and providing practical recommendations and strategies to address it. Consequently, it was our intention to contribute to the literature on language anxiety by using a classroom-based case study in order to: a) examine the characteristics of anxious students and the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety, b) implement interventions to overcome it, and c) evaluate the effectiveness of these measures for reducing foreign language speaking anxiety in the English classroom. Studies that examined anxiety and language learning may serve as a guide for language teachers in terms of helping them to increase their understanding of language learning from the perspective learners. Studies of this nature can also provide insights into how educators can develop appropriate interventions to decrease language anxiety among second/foreign language learners. In addition, by understanding the causes and effects of language anxiety and their relationship to language achievement strategies and interventions to boost the self-confidence of learners and lower their anxiety can prove beneficial to all stakeholders. 3. Review of Related Literature Mohammad Javad Riasati in his study Language Learning Anxiety from EFL Learners’ Perspective demonstrated the causes of language learning anxiety from the learners perspectives as well as the effects of anxiety. Implications of the study include what learners and teachers can do in order to reduce the debilitating effects of anxiety. This qualitative study is an attempt to investigate language learners perspectives on language learning anxiety. Specifically, it seeks to figure out what factors make learners more anxious in the language learning environment. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with three individuals who have been learning English for several years. Atef Al-Tamimi and Munir Shuib, (2009) in their study “Motivation and Attitudes towards Learning English: A Study of Petroleum Engineering Undergraduates at Hadhramout European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 3 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE University of Sciences and Technology showed the students positive orientation toward the English language. Interestingly enough, the results indicated that a high number of the students showed their interest in the culture of the English speaking. The study sample consisted of 81 petroleum engineering students at Hadhramout University of Sciences and Technology (HUST). A questionnaire and interviews were used for data collection. Personal reasons were also regarded as important motives by the students. However, regarding the integrative reasons, the results provided evidence that learning English as a part of the culture of its people had the least impact in students English language motivation. On the other hand, data for the students attitudes revealed that most of students had positive attitudes towards the social value and educational status of English. Iakovos Tsiplakides, 9 in his study Helping Students Overcome Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical Recommendations says that despite the fact that foreign language speaking anxiety is a common phenomenon in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Greece, teachers do not always identify anxious students, and often attribute their unwillingness to participate in speaking tasks to factors such as lack of motivation, or low performance. This article aims to contribute to the literature on language anxiety and to provide teachers with strategies for reducing foreign language speaking anxiety stemming from students fear of negative evaluation from their peers and perception of low ability. Using qualitative research, it presents a classroom-based case study which aims at examining the characteristics of anxious students with a view to implementing classroom interventions to reduce foreign language speaking anxiety. The effectiveness of these interventions is also presented and evaluated, and the pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed. Gajalakshmi, ( in her study, High school students’ attitude towards English language learning revealed that there is a significant difference based on the gender, locality of the school, type of school, type of management. A standardized questionnaire was administered in the form of normative survey to 600 IX standard students (selected randomly from various high and higher secondary schools in Puducherry region) to collect their attitude towards learning English language. The collected data was statistically analyzed by SPSS ver-16. Hence, it was concluded that more classroom activities in the study of English enhance pupils attitude to learn English. Sadia Noreen, Mumtaz Ahmed and Asma Esmail, in their study Role of Students’ Motivation, Attitude and Anxiety in Learning English at Intermediate Level in Pakistan: A Gender Based Study showed that the females have higher level of motivation European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 4 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE and attitude towards English language, while males have higher level of anxiety as compared to the females. The research is based on a close ended survey questionnaire on 5-point Likert scale, which describes about the ratio of students attitude, motivation and classroom anxiety during English language learning process of grade 12 class students in a well-known college of Faisalabad, Pakistan. This research presents the affirmative views of equal number of 112 students both male (56) and female (56). Terri Lee Nagahashi in his study Techniques for reducing language anxiety: Results of a successful intervention study stated that structured cooperative learning activities may be effective in reducing language anxiety by providing non-threatening, supportive environment in which to develop language skills. The purpose of this short term intervention study was to examine the effectiveness of cooperative learning techniques for reducing foreign language anxiety among freshman students enrolled in Akita University. A total of 38 students participated in this intervention study, all of whom are a subset of a larger cross-sectional baseline study that was conducted to assess levels and primary sources of language anxiety. Two survey instruments are used: The standardized foreign language classroom anxiety scale (FLCAS) (Harwitz, Harwitz and Cope, 1986) and a post intervention questionnaire. 4. Statement of the problem A study of anxiety towards English language of engineering students 5. Objectives of the Study 1. To know the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering. 2. To know the extent of language anxiety among male and female students of engineering. 3. To know the extent of language anxiety among Telugu medium and English medium students of engineering. 6. Research Question 1. What is the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering? 2. Does the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering differ basing on their gender? 3. Does the extent of language anxiety among the students of engineering differ basing on their medium of instruction at the Intermediate level? European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 5 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 7. Sampling Technique Convenience sampling technique was used to select the sample and size of the sample was 100. The sample consisted of engineering students. 8. Used Tools The language anxiety scale was prepared and developed by Hemamalini H.C., University of Mysore. The questionnaire consisted of 18 statements. The students have to answer them as yes/no. Yes carries mark and No carries 0 marks. The score ranged from 1 to 18. 9. Methodology As survey method is one of the best methods to collect primary data from a large group, the author have chosen survey method for this purpose. 10. Data Analysis S.No 1 Statement I am worried of not making any progress in English 2 I feel, I can t learn English grammar 3 I am worried that my pronunciation is not good 4 I fear I am not able to remember the particular word in English while speaking 5 I have fear of not speaking English fluently 6 I feel need to translate every word of English to my language to understand clearly 7 I fear I can t understand my teacher s explanation 8 I am anxious about my English marks 9 When a question is posed to me in English class, I will be upset 10 I feel I am not learning English quickly as others do 11 I feel nervous when I have to speak in English with my classmates 12 When my English teacher asks me to write Overall Male Female T.M E.M % % % % % 43 47 42 57 38 56 60 51 64 52 48 46 51 39 51 53 56 49 57 51 55 55 56 57 54 58 60 56 54 59 54 53 56 69 50 56 66 44 61 54 47 35 62 32 52 51 53 51 64 46 52 51 53 50 52 50 51 49 41 44 European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 6 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE something on blackboard I feel nervous that I may not write properly 13 I feel nervous to go to school when I think of English class 14 I am always worried that I may not know correct spelling while writing English words 15 I feel nervous while reading English lesson in the classroom 16 I always have the fear of making mistakes in English classroom 17 I am worried that my handwriting is not good 18 My hands shiver while writing English test. 52 73 53 50 54 61 37 47 61 61 54 51 58 39 59 67 71 62 61 69 50 46 56 39 54 55 64 44 41 51 10. Discussion 10.1 I am worried of not making any progress in English For the first statement, the overall percentage is 43. On the whole 43% of the sample of engineering students has anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable wise description, 47% of the males and 42% of the female sample expressed their anxiety. In comparison males exhibited higher level of anxiety than their counterparts. Fifty-seven percent of the Telugu medium students have more anxiety towards English when compared with their counterparts with 38%. 10.2 I feel, I can’t learn English grammar The overall percentage for the second statement is 56. On the whole 56% of the sample of engineering students has anxiety towards English language. The variable, males % and 51% females showed anxiety towards English language. In comparison, males expressed higher level of anxiety than their counterparts. Sixty four percent of Telugu medium students have more anxiety towards English when compared with their counterparts with 52%. 10.3 I am worried that my pronunciation is not good On the whole 48% of the sample engineering students exhibited anxiety towards English language. For the variable wise description, the males expressed 46% of anxiety towards English and females showed 51% of anxiety. For this statement, females expressed higher level of anxiety than their counterparts. Telugu medium students showed 39% of anxiety towards English and English medium students showed 51% of European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 7 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE anxiety. Hence, it is inferred from the above result that for this statement English medium students expressed more anxiety towards English than their counterparts. 10.4 I fear I am not able to remember the particular word in English while speaking Fifty three percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety towards English language. Males showed 56% and females showed 49% of anxiety towards English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than female engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed % and English medium students showed 51% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result Telugu medium students exhibit higher level of anxiety towards English with their counterparts. 10.5 I have fear of not speaking English fluently On the whole % of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Fifty five percent of the males and 56% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Almost the same percent of anxiety towards English was exhibited by both male and female engineering students. Fifty seven percent of Telugu medium students and 54% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a slight higher level anxiety than their counterparts. 10.6 I feel need to translate every word of English to my language to understand clearly The overall percentage of sample engineering students expressed 58% of anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable description, males expressed 60% of anxiety and female engineering students exhibited 56% of anxiety towards English language. For this statement, males have shown more anxiety towards English than female students. Telugu medium students expressed 54% of anxiety and English medium students showed 59% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result, it is inferred that English medium students expressed a slightly higher level of anxiety with their counterparts. 10.7 I fear I can’t understand my teacher’s explanation. The whole sample of engineering students showed 54% of anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variables, males showed 53% and females expressed 56% of anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 8 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students expressed 69% and English medium students exhibited 50% of anxiety towards English language. In comparison, Telugu medium students express more anxiety towards English than their counterparts. 10.8 I am anxious about my English marks Fifty six percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety towards English language. Males showed 66% and females showed 44% of anxiety towards English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than female engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed % and English medium students showed 54% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result Telugu medium students exhibit higher level of anxiety towards English with their counterparts. 10.9 When a question is posed to me in English class, I will be upset On the whole % of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Thirty five percent of the males and 62% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Female engineering students expressed higher level of anxiety towards English language than male students. Thirty two percent of Telugu medium students and 52% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with their counterparts. 10.10 I feel I am not learning English quickly as others do The overall percentage of sample engineering students expressed 51% of anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable description, males expressed 53% of anxiety and female engineering students exhibited 51% of anxiety towards English language. For this statement, males have shown more anxiety towards English than female students. Telugu medium students expressed 64% of anxiety and English medium students showed 46% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result, it is inferred that English medium students expressed a lower level of anxiety with their counterparts. 10.11 I feel nervous when I have to speak in English with my classmates On the whole % of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Fifty one percent of the males and 53% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Almost the same percent of anxiety towards English European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 9 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE was exhibited by both male and female engineering students. Fifty percent of Telugu medium students and 52% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students and English medium students have almost the same percent of anxiety towards English language. 10.12 When my English teacher asks me to write something on blackboard? I feel nervous that I may not write properly On the whole % of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Fifty one percent of the males and 49% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed higher level of anxiety towards English language than female students. Forty one percent of Telugu medium students and 44% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with their counterparts. 10.13 I feel nervous to go to school when I think of English class Fifty two percent of the whole sample of engineering students showed anxiety towards English language. Males showed 73% and females showed 53% of anxiety towards English. Here males showed higher level of anxiety towards English than female engineering students. Telugu medium students expressed % and English medium students showed 54% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result Telugu medium students exhibit lower level of anxiety towards English with their counterparts. 10.14 I am always worried that I may not know correct spelling while writing English words The whole sample of engineering students showed 61% of anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variables, males showed 37% and females expressed 47% of anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students expressed 61% and English medium students exhibited 61% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result, it is inferred that both the Telugu medium and English medium engineering students expressed equal level of anxiety towards English language for this statement. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 10 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 10.15 I feel nervous while reading English lesson in the classroom. For this statement, the overall percentage is 54. On the whole 54%of the sample of engineering students has anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variable wise description, 51% of the males and 58% of the female sample expressed their anxiety. In comparison males exhibited lower level of anxiety than their counterparts. Thirty nine percent of the Telugu medium students have less anxiety towards English when compared with their counterparts with 59%. 10.16 I always have the fear of making mistakes in English classroom On the whole % of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Seventy one percent of the males and 62% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed higher level of anxiety towards English language than female students. Sixty one percent of Telugu medium students and 69% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with their counterparts. 10.17 I am worried that my handwriting is not good The whole sample of engineering students showed 50% of anxiety towards English language. Coming to the variables, males showed 46% and females expressed 56% of anxiety towards English language. Here, male students have shown low percentage of anxiety towards English than female students of engineering. Telugu medium students expressed 39% and English medium students exhibited 54% of anxiety towards English language. From the above result, it is inferred that the Telugu medium engineering students expressed very low level of anxiety towards English language with their counterparts who exhibit very high level of anxiety. 10.18 My hands shiver while writing English test On the whole 55% of the sample engineering students showed anxiety towards English language for this statement. Sixty four percent of the males and 44% of female students expressed anxiety towards English. Male engineering students expressed higher level of anxiety towards English language than female students. Forty one percent of Telugu medium students and 51% of English medium students showed anxiety towards English language. Here, Telugu medium students showed a low level of anxiety with their counterparts. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 11 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 11. Recommendations 1. Teachers can make a valuable contribution in developing a friendly relationship with their students, in order to develop a positive attitude towards learning English language, 2. Positive psychological classroom atmosphere needed for learning language, and the errors are considered as a natural part of the process of learning English language. 3. Teachers should motivate the students to learn better English, by highlighting its importance as they need English for getting employment purpose in future. 4. Educators and parents should always encourage learners to read materials written in English like newspapers and magazines. 5. Educators who qualify to teach English must have received a relevant training and qualification in English. If the above condition is taken care of learners would receive proper knowledge which would help them to develop confidence and they will be competent in the world. 12. Conclusion The present study was an attempt to obtain a picture of language learners experience of language learning anxiety and to identify factors that cause such anxiety. It is hoped that the findings of the study can shed light into the complex issue of anxiety in learning, make educators aware of the existence of the anxiety in learners, and hence take steps to identify and obliterate the sources of anxiety. It goes without saying that only in a relaxed, stress-free environment, can learners show their full capabilities and learn the material effectively and successfully. References 1. Atef Al-Tamimi and Munir Shuib, (2009), “Motivation And Attitudes Towards Learning English: A Study Of Petroleum Engineering Undergraduates At Hadhramout University Of Sciences and Technology GEM“ Online Journal of Language Studies, Volume 9(2) 2009 2. Gajalakshmi, , High school students’ attitude towards English language learning International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 3, Issue 9, September 2013 1 ISSN 2250-3153 European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 12 Ch. S. Sailaja – A STUDY OF ANXIETY OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS TOWARDS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 3. Garret, H. E. (1973). Statistics in Psychology and Education. New Delhi: Paragon International Publishers 4. Hemamalini H.C. (2007), Reducing Language Anxiety to Improve the Process of Learning English, Edutracks, December 2007, Vol. 7 No. 4. 5. Iakovos Tsiplakides, 9, Helping Students Overcome Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in the English Classroom: Theoretical Issues and Practical Recommendations International Education Studies, Vol.2, No.4, November 2009 6. Mohammad Javad Riasati (2011), Language Learning Anxiety from EFL Learners’ Perspective Middle–East Journal of Scientific Research 7 (6): 907-914, 2011, IDOSI Publications 7. Sadia Noreen, Mumtaz “hmed and “sma Esmail, Role of Students’ Motivation, Attitude and Anxiety in Learning English at Intermediate Level in Pakistan: A Gender based Study Educational Research International Vol. 4(2) April 2015 8. Terri Lee Nagahashi, Techniques for reducing language anxiety: Results of a successful intervention study , Faculty of Education and Human Studies, Akita University, Japan Creative Commons licensing terms Authors will retain the copyright of their published articles agreeing that a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) terms will be applied to their work. Under the terms of this license, no permission is required from the author(s) or publisher for members of the community to copy, distribute, transmit or adapt the article content, providing a proper, prominent and unambiguous attribution to the authors in a manner that makes clear that the materials are being reused under permission of a Creative Commons License. Views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this research article are views, opinions and conclusions of the author(s). Open Access Publishing Group and European Journal of English Language Teaching shall not be responsible or answerable for any loss, damage or liability caused in relation to/arising out of conflict of interests, copyright violations and inappropriate or inaccurate use of any kind content related or integrated on the research work. All the published works are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and noncommercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 13
European Journal of English Language Teaching ISSN: 2501-7136 (on-line) ISSN-L: 2501-7136 (print) Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu 10.5281/zenodo.51827 Volume 1│Issue 1│2015 LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS Anastazy Brozek Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland Abstract: The present research investigates the professional progress of English language teachers related to the language assessment and teaching methodologies and represents a theoretical planning of the field of curriculum and assessment in English Language Teaching and its effect in terms of professional and qualified development. Assessment is an essential section of the educational process, as it controls whether or not the goals of instruction are being achieved. Assessment influences decisions about ratings, assignment, improvement, instructional requirements, curriculum, etc… A qualitative connection between theory and implementation of well-developed practices in assessment contribute to positive achievements to in-service teachers. The major achievement of the study is that English teachers' professional progress is eloquent only if the assimilated information is applied in their environment. Keywords: professional development, language acquisition, English Language Teaching assessment . 1. Introduction Today's students must have knowledge not only of the basic reading and arithmetic skills, but also must develop abilities that will permit them to survive and progress on an environment that is continually evolving. They must be competent to think critically, to examine, and to make inferences. Modifications in the skills base and knowledge of our scholars require new scholarship aims; these new learning aims modification change the connection between assessment and education. An essential characteristic of teachers’ professional knowledge and competence is the capability to evaluate scholars’ realizations adequately. “ccording ratings is one Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015. 36 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS classical mission in this context. Besides giving evaluations, assessments for school assignments or following verdicts belong to these responsibilities. Teachers must have a dynamic role in making judgments about the determination of assessment and the content that is being assessed. “ppropriate students’ individualities which influence teachers’ evaluation do not only involve academic achievement but also students’ answers to diverse assignment demands as well as non-academic features such as learning impulse or school apprehension. Professional development processes are considered relevant spaces for modern organizations. In order to be at the forefront, education systems are committed to analyse the skills and professional performance of teachers. This perspective frames the consideration that the teachers of English have training needs as they progress in their career, which requires an updated teacher to know, to know how to be and know how. Teacher professional development is an on-going process that includes opportunities and experiences planned systematically in order to promote substantive improvement of educational processes from problematizing reflection of situations faced in their daily lives. Placing at the centre the English teacher who faces great challenges and demands of a society that aspires to improve language skills, the course learning assessment was planned considering the reality of the MEP from an andragogic approach. Planning and implementation of professional development activities should answer the questions: what to teach?, how to teach ?, when teaching? and why teach / who? Coherence between these aspects is a prerequisite for participants and facilitators of lifelong learning activities achieve significant learning factor. The work of teaching involves among other things provide training goals to organize the pedagogical action. On this regard, Hernandez (1995) states: "Programming is a process of give unity and structure to the educational work process, taking into account the students themselves, their environment, media and materials available, in terms of achieving the goals, general and often, educational administration fixed for this purpose. Programming requires goals which serve to determine the degree of progress and guide the actions of the teaching-learning process. Not less important is the content, what you want to teach must meet the objectives which reflect the knowledge to achieve. Coll, C. (1995) suggests three types of content, namely: cognitive, procedural, attitudinal. Addressing these must establish meaningful relationships considering the context and previous knowledge of the participants. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 37 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS The educational concept and the principles governing the design of professional development activities largely determine the procedures regarding the pedagogical mediation. Within this concept the facilitator should be creator of a favourable climate for learning and an emotional environment that serves as support for the process of teaching and learning. The cognitive, emotional, praxis and values are inseparable from this concept. However, what are the substantive aspects of a pedagogical practice that allows such consistency? Two Freire's ideas seem basic and substantial as a starting point: overcome any banking concept of education and pass a pedagogy of response (in which the teacher says what seems interesting) to a pedagogy of the question (the teaching and learning are answers to questions and interests that "connect" with students). This allows us to enter into a substantive aspect of any educational practice: attending the prominence and self - realization of students. (Ander Egg, 2001 p. 117) Continuing education promotes transfer of learning to the workplace. Ander Egg (2001) makes us reflect on the importance of considering who directed training activity is. These activities should be geared to improving the teaching work by reference to their experience and prior knowledge. In this regard, Casanova (2012) refers to the conclusions of the Kinsey Report MC 2007 when its conclusions states ... the quality of an education system will never be above the quality of its teachers. In short, quality is a dynamic concept in essence that will remain alive and always updated to continue to innovate in education in view of the social events that occur and scientific findings (psychological, educational, neuroscientists, etc.) and that should count as training base and the prestige of its teachers. (p. 09) The statements in the McKinsey report reaffirms the importance of training programs with a planned orientation to strengthen the development of teachers so that the thematic content of the curriculum and professional experience are linked. 2. Context of the Evaluation At the beginning of the century, the society demanded a range of skills in various fields of professional life. The economic development of countries, globalization and job creation has been and will be a priority of the states of the world. To achieve an efficient performance work, better competitiveness, sustainable productivity growth, all human activity must be inherent in an on-going process of evaluation. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 38 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS Today the world is more mechanized, more and more homogenized and exposed almost entirely to the use of technology; this is a determining factor in the economic growth of a country. The industries of the future are developed from research, evaluation, innovation and creation. To compete in a globalized world, people not only need to acquire a profession but is also necessary to be bilingual, trilingual or multilingual. Speaking a second language is as important as having a profession and this is much more relevant when the person makes the language a profession which needs to be competent not only in the domain of language as such but also in becoming a teacher Of the same. (Saorin 2003) states that "…the language of research and scholarly publications is English…" this is corroborated by the statistics that determine that 70% of scientists publish their information in this language, 85% of the world 's mail is written in this language and 90% of the information in electronic media it is in this language. For such reason the importance of learning of a language that connects everyone in any context became vital. Learning a language is an on-going process that requires practice and application of it in real life situations. So learning a foreign language in an unfavourable context is a difficult task, since learners do not face a real world in which they can communicate and apply their language skills acquired. Today, despite the value that is given to the evaluation process, we can realize that the evaluation of results is very important, because students must always meet standards set for access to school, to college and even it aims to certify a profession through a test in which a professional demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and attitudes that it has acquired during his student life. This assessment approach determines the user to transfer knowledge to skills, ie know-how, which involves mobilizing them to various communication situations and putting into practice this knowledge. That is, it is considered that a person is a competent reader or speaker when you can use the language in the most varied discourse genres, either oral or written situations. From this perspective the assessment of language skills in learning a foreign language should include a criterion of achievement, should allow the student a gradual training evaluative techniques so that contributes to the development skills of comprehension and oral expression, reading comprehension and written expression. All this alludes that the assessment should be taken as a concomitant practice the teaching-learning process. The demonstration of a competency evidences the implementation of various skills but should not manifest itself only in action but it is necessary to include a level of European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 39 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS efficiency and effectiveness. Efficacy results of the proposed objectives and efficiency optimization level of cost, time, resources and quality in meeting the objectives. 3. Evaluation of Learning in English Teaching Recent research has been interested in how the brain works and how you learn; these studies have highlighted the need of not only new teaching methods, but also the urgency to consider new ways of evaluating. The evaluation of learning processes in the classroom is part of the formal structure of any educational process; the controversy is how to do to respond to the new assessment approaches which are supported from a more holistic view of learning as a process. The evaluation as process involved in learning and motivation of children of school age to acquire a foreign language is a guiding principle of best evaluation practices. Rodriguez, et al. (2012), Atina stating that "…through education evaluation can learn to set criteria (and hence priorities), to reflect on the positive and negative realities, to assess (and compare) the objects of evaluation and above all, to make fundamental and justified decisions… " pag. The way how the assessment to fulfil its purpose of contributing positively on the progress of students represents an educational challenge is made. According Linse and Nunan (2005), an English teacher, put careful attention to what students do in class, and based on that observation modify their planning, activities and teaching techniques. Similarly, Brown (2004) suggests that teachers evaluate English language proficiency of their students as part of a continuous process, each time a student participates in an activity. Progress is needed on the appropriate assess student progress reflected in the development of language skills and emotional development involving the child's interest and the significance of what you learn ways. It is necessary to harmonize the evaluation culture of schools and the design and implementation of evaluation instruments. The academic achievement of children in the acquisition of English should be reflected in a performance - oriented students closely with the pedagogical approach and the principles of teaching and learning a foreign language. The evaluation of learning is a process on-going of information and reflection on the process of production of learning and required for execution of the implementation of the following processes: European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 40 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS a) Collection and selection of information about student learning through the interaction with them, the application instrument, situations of evaluation, and so on; b) Interpretation and evaluation of learning in terms of the degree of development of the evaluation criteria established in each area and therefore the degree of development of competition. The assessment should be in qualitative terms. c) Decision making, which involves the establishment of a plan of action that allows students to learn, reinforce and stimulate learning to be developed with the help of teachers, who must plan new strategies of teaching-learning, according to the conclusions is reached in the evaluation. 4. Principles and Purposes The system of learning assessment is to contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning, therefore it should be given before, during and after these processes allowing regulation of interrelationships, detect difficulties that are presenting, find out the causes and take timely action without waiting to complete the process; therefore it is of nature training . Similarly, the assessment of learning assumes that its object what are the criteria and indicators for each curriculum area, which serve as benchmarks to assess progress and difficulties of students. These criteria constitute the unit for the collection, recording, analysis and communication of the evaluation process, giving the nature of judgment: a) It is part of the planning effective teaching and learning. b) It focuses on how students learn. c) It is central to classroom practice. d) In a key professional skill. So it is important the feedback. e) Is sensible and constructive since the assessment carries an emotional impact. Therefore it should be emphasized the progress and achievements of students rather than their failures, therefore there must be a constructive feedback focusing on work and not on the person. f) The evaluation promotes motivation in students and this in view It should serve to student progress. In this regard it is important not to make comparisons with those students who have had greater success. g) Promotes understanding of goals and criteria. h) Help students to know how to improve. Therefore must use methods that encourage student autonomy and to allow some choice and opportunities for self-direction. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 41 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS i) Develop capacity self-assessment. j) Recognizes all educational achievements. 5. Why and What to Evaluate Student Learning? There are many groups interested in evaluating the language skills of these students are teachers, department heads, parents of families , governments and of course the same students. However, we all believe the four main reasons for evaluating: a) To compare students to each other b) To see if students achieve a particular standard c) To help students learn d) To check if the program is doing its job e) To promote, demonstrate and certify a) To compare students to each other. Today if students want to go to a university to study any career, the university has to select the "best students". This decision has a comparative basis for example if the university takes 80% of the best candidates but the consistency problem is that this is determined through an examination and notes of his collegiate life depicted in his bachelor's degree. However, what really sets are the best students if only a minimum percentage of 20% of candidates achieved inserted into a university. Although this system may not be as fair, this is often used by governments and parents to judge the quality of the educational institution. b) To see if students are to reach a particular. Large organizations such as the state or international examination bodies have certain standards of proficiency that students should have. These standards do not necessarily reflect the teaching program the students have followed, ie, different institutions may have different texts or programs . In the case of a race where language students study English as a language of instruction they must also undergo the evaluation criteria of these institutions to end his career to determine the level of proficiency in the language through a proficiency test. Educational institutions such as universities and much more, also have certain standards based on individual criteria and framed in international, which generally is also a quality criterion. Educational institutions base their evaluation system in their own teaching program. Generally they analyse what students cover in a classroom, and then assess whether students have learned often through a performance test. Another reason to evaluate is the initial location. You can analyse the skills of students to see if they are European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 42 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS part of the system. For example, if the institution has restrictions regarding classroom space, or certain language own criteria such as: proficiency in grammar, pronunciation, fluency, etc., which can also be location criteria. c) To help the student learning when the teacher applies a performance test to see if students need more help or reinforcement, for example, most students achieved a good result to write an advertisement but had many errors in grammar used, then you need to re-plan and strengthen the teaching in that particular area. d) To check if the program is doing its job, ie if many errors are evidence in a particular grammar, the teacher may decide to completely change the program to help students focus on a different context of teaching and learning. Or large - scale higher organism can decide to change the curriculum of a career. e) To promote, accreditation and certification, students within the social dimensions involving, among other things, the legitimacy of skills professionals from the rest of society. 6. What to Evaluate The answer to Assess What? should be organized around the object of evaluation in the case of learning a foreign language should assess knowledge and skills in that language and usually include listening, speaking, reading and writing together with the components of language as are grammar and lexicon. The objectives, defined as the knowledge, skills and attitudes pursued in a program, in a cycle or a class. These objectives are expressed in terms of capacity or general or specific skills, which can be specified in a given time. This concept of objectives presents the difficulty that the capabilities are not directly measurable and that its development is more or less constant continuum evidence generally short or long term. (...) To appreciate the development of capabilities must resort to standards that are susceptible to some kind of finding, albeit indirectly: these are the content, tasks and performance of the student in the performance of the latter" If you are evaluating the grammatical error message the first response does not limit the communication of the idea, so the answer is correct and if we are evaluating the second half is also correct. For these reasons the teaching of a language must not forget that there are two different corrections to the message and the medium. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 43 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS It is also necessary to clarify the language skills we evaluated, ie if we evaluate the components of language (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) or if we evaluate how the student connects these components when used in language that is the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) communicatively. We must also assess skills in speech as: use the language that is socially appropriate can be formal or informal; strategic skills are as taking turns in conversation, get information from a text or listen to the main idea; language learning skills such as ability to use the dictionary, the ability to deduce the meaning of words in context, meta-language learning as the teacher ask: what is the past of the verb find? etc.; learn skills in general and the contribution to and within the group, the ability to distinguish what you know and do not know yet, to follow directions; and social skills behaviour such as sit in the chair without interrupting the class or develop their test yourself without trying to copy: and the criteria to qualify, evaluations give results in numbers are easy to qualify, simply type rating in numbers or percentage converted into different scales a note on a score of 10 or AE. Specifically, the teaching of any foreign language under the communicative approach leaves no doubt that should assess knowledge, skills, communicative performance in the use of foreign language, so the level of competition communicative acquired, feelings, values and attitudes. However, the fact that the language skills they acquire students as part of their stands interaction with the system of the language study and the level of development of language skills are necessary to evaluate them through own communication of students in the foreign language as an expression of the level of development of communication skills acquired. It is precisely in the communicative practice that the teacher and the student can watch repeatedly and evaluate communicative student performance in the foreign language. Attitudinal knowledge perhaps could be difficult finding in other subjects but in the foreign language can be evaluated through student performance in communication, where you can appreciate its capacity for collaboration, their attitudes to the group, their preferences, own interests in the tasks of learning the language, but also can inquire directly about their ways of thinking and acting in each communicative situation which makes this knowledge becomes observable. 7. Conclusion Today, you can make use of many assessment tools, taking advantage of information technologies and communications so as to allow demonstrate the gradual and European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 44 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS incremental progress in developing skills of listening and speaking a foreign language. Instruments should be implemented taking advantage of advances in information and communications technology such as: email, the chat, open forums, the web-folios, graphic organizers, web-quests, the blogs; and instruments that promote the registration of progressive advances of the sub-skills of students as reflective journal, surveys, interviews, scales reliability, evaluative scales or rubrics, bands, among others. The development of communication skills in learning a foreign language is so complicated that involves the integration of oral or written comprehension and verbal and written expression simultaneously and coupled to situations which involve the development of other skills such as socio-linguistic, strategic, pragmatic and require the application of specific techniques that allow the progressive evaluation of micro-skills that will gradually becoming competitive standards domain and demonstrate greater skill in the practical demonstration of language in real communicative situations. design techniques are then suggested as panels, forums, dialogues, troubleshooting, graphic organizers, portfolios, projects, among others, participating students and evaluate the process and the teacher diversify the techniques and assessment tools so that is not only examining the only instrument to assess or grammar aspect evaluated the learning of English. References 1. Hernandez, Pedro. (1995). Design and Teaching: Theory and Techniques of Programming and Educational Project. Madrid: Narcea. 2. Casanova, Maria Antonia. (2012). Curriculum Design and Educational Quality Factor. REICE. Revista Iberoamericana on Quality, Efficiency and Change in Education, 10 (4), 6-20. 3. Coll, Cesar. (1995). The contents of Reform: Teaching and Learning Concepts, Procedures and Attitudes. Barcelona: Ediciones Santillana SA 4. Linse, Caroline and Nunan, David. (2005). Practical Language Teaching Young Learners. New York: McGraw-Hill. 5. Alvarez, Carmen. (2012). Principles of Procedure in the Curricular Design: Key to the Improvement of Education Theory-Practice Relations. 6. Ander Egg, Ezquiel. (2001). The Challenges of Education in the XXI Century. Argentina: Homo Sapiens. European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 45 Anastazy Brozek – LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING PROFESSORS 7. Cols Avolio, Susana and Lacolutti, Maria Dolores. (2006) Teaching and Assessing training for job skills. Concepts and methodological orientations Buenos Aires: Inter - American Development Bank. 8. Brown, Douglas. (2004). Language Assessment and Classroom Practice Principles s. United States: Longman. 9. Cols Avolio Susana, 1987, Evaluation of teaching - learning process, Buenos Aires Myramar, 1st Ed. 10. ”“XTER “ndy, , Evaluating Your Students ", Series Editor Paul Seligson, Richmond Publishing. 11. Cazares, Leslie. (2008). "Planning and competency - based assessment: fundamentals and practices for the development of teaching skills, from preschool through graduate school." Trillas. 12. Catch, Richie, Tarquet, Francesca, 1998, "Stimuli Sensory develop in the Classroom". Creative Commons licensing terms Authors will retain the copyright of their published articles agreeing that a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) terms will be applied to their work. Under the terms of this license, no permission is required from the author(s) or publisher for members of the community to copy, distribute, transmit or adapt the article content, providing a proper, prominent and unambiguous attribution to the authors in a manner that makes clear that the materials are being reused under permission of a Creative Commons License. Views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this research article are views, opinions and conclusions of the author(s). Open Access Publishing Group and European Journal of English Language Teaching shall not be responsible or answerable for any loss, damage or liability caused in relation to/arising out of conflict of interests, copyright violations and inappropriate or inaccurate use of any kind content related or integrated on the research work. All the published works are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and noncommercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). European Journal of English Language Teaching - Volume 1 │ Issue 1 │ 2015 46