Towards the Student-Centred Paradigm to Teaching and Assessing Writing: A Shift of Focus
Abstract
The objective of education is learning. The domain of higher education is anchored by two theoretically opposed approaches; namely, the teacher-centred and the learner-centred approaches to teaching. In many discussions about teaching and learning in EFL contexts, mention is always directed towards these two teaching paradigms. Debate always rises about one main point that is usually given little importance on the part of language teachers, if not partially over-looked. This crucial point concerns the assessment of students’ learning in the four language skills and in the writing skill in particular. Given the great importance it has in the learning process, assessment is claimed to be a central part of language teaching. Therefore, it is an obligation on the part of teachers and stakeholders to give it due attention and to consider its key role in boosting EFL students’ learning in order to get better academic results. As a component of teaching, assessment is considered in different ways in each teaching paradigm, reflecting thus the principles and assumptions each paradigm is based on. In the present paper, we argue that teachers should move forward and use more learner-centred teaching and assessment since, in higher education, the main purposes of assessment are to determine what students have learned to reveal their strengths and weaknesses (students’ achievement) and to get valuable information about instructional programs’ quality. The shift towards learner-centred teaching will change the core of teaching to the student and the learning process. All the activities and tasks to be assessed in the courses emerge from the course objectives. Besides this, student-centred approach to learning necessitates the use of authentic assessment. Teachers’ involvement in the assessment process is more likely to ensure that the evaluation process reflects course goals and objectives.
