Teachers’ perspectives on equitable assessment in Finnish as a second language and literature: exploring assessment literacy and teacher agency

Abstract Increasing linguistic diversity has intensified concerns regarding equitable assessment in multilingual educational settings. In Finland, Finnish as a Second Language and Literature (FSLL) supports multilingual learners’ language development, participation and educational achievement. Although assessment literacy and teacher agency have received growing scholarly attention, little research has examined how these concepts interact in teachers’ assessment practices. This qualitative study explores teachers’ perceptions of FSLL assessment during the implementation of the 2014 Finnish National Core Curriculum. The data consisted of semi-structured interviews with nine FSLL teachers from different regions of Finland. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis informed by the concepts of assessment literacy and teacher agency. The findings indicate that assessment in multilingual classrooms requires continuous interpretation of curriculum criteria, language proficiency and evidence of learning. Teachers described curriculum implementation as an interpretive process that demands professional judgement and adaptation to local contexts. Assessment literacy was perceived not only as individual expertise but also as a collective professional practice developed through collaboration, professional dialogue and shared interpretation of assessment criteria. Participants further emphasised that curriculum criteria alone are insufficient to ensure equitable assessment. Instead, fairness depends on teachers’ ability to combine assessment expertise with context-sensitive professional judgement. The study contributes to international discussions on multilingual education and classroom assessment by proposing a conceptual framework in which equitable assessment emerges through the interaction between assessment literacy and teacher agency. This framework highlights the importance of professional expertise, collaboration and teacher participation in curriculum enactment in increasingly diverse educational systems.