Evaluating ESL classroom evaluation: teacher–student beliefs and teacher practices in Sunyani East Municipality, Ghana

Given the important role of evaluation in the language-learning classroom, understanding its application in a particular context is crucial for improving language learning outcomes. Accordingly, we explore teacher-led ESL classroom evaluation practices in Ghanaian Senior High Schools. The study offers a novel perspective of teacher-student evaluation practices drawing data from the Sunyani East Municipality of Ghana, framed by Vygotsky’s social constructivism. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, data were collected from classroom observations, interviews with ten teachers, and questionnaires from 396 students. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select teachers based on their subject expertise and years of experience, while stratified random sampling was used to ensure proportional representation of students across schools, grade levels, and gender. Findings revealed that while teachers endorsed alternative and formative evaluation strategies in principle, their practices remained largely summative due to systemic constraints such as large class sizes, workload, and time pressures. Students valued questioning, feedback, group work, and peer assessment, highlighting the importance of interactive approaches consistent with social constructivist principles. However, a misalignment between teacher beliefs and practices limited the potential of evaluation to support deeper learning. The study recommends policy reforms that integrate formative assessment into teacher training, strengthen professional learning communities, and empower school leadership to institutionalize classroom-based innovations.