Writing Assessment Literacy: A Study of Formative Assessment Practice Among Wattala International School English Teachers

Research into the technicalities of Writing Assessment Literacy (WAL) is an expanding domain, with many scholars stressing that its complex nature has not been fully developed in both pre- and in-service teachers due to oversights in teacher education and professional development. This study used survey data (N=20) and interviews (N=5) to investigate the practices of English language teachers related to formative assessment of writing in international schools in the Watt ala Divisional Secretariat. The results complement existing findings that a majority of teachers mirror summatie assessments in the practice of formative writing assessment, misrepresent their understanding of rubrics and feedback, and face limitations in the effective use of assessment results. The study concludes that specialized training in theory and practice related to WAL is needed to broaden the scope of classroom assessment methods used by international schoolteachers with focus on alternative assessment, transparent feedback practices, and purposeful collaboration between educators. Keywords: writing assessment literacy; assessment for learning; formative assessment; teacher practices