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FORMATIVE VS. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN LANGUAGE
LEARNING
Nuriddillayeva Sevinch Ilhom qizi
Chirchik State Pedagogical University
4
th
year student of the Faculty of Tourism
Supervisor: Usmonova Gulsevar Abdulaziz qizi
Teacher at Chirchik State Pedagogical University
E-mail:
Abstract: Formative-summative assessment occurs in two primary forms:
using a mock exam before the final or using the final exam before the retake.
Formative assessment allows for feedback which improves learning while
summative assessment measures learning. Formative assessment refers to
frequent, interactive assessments of students’ development and understanding to
recognize their needs and adjust teaching appropriately.
This article discusses
formative vs. summative assessment in language learning.
Keywords: formative assessment, development, language learning,study,
students, implication, weaknesses, teaching, target, effort, work.
Annotatsiya: Formativ-summativ baholash ikkita asosiy shaklda amalga
oshiriladi: yakuniy imtihondan oldin sinovdan o'tkazish yoki qayta topshirishdan
oldin yakuniy imtihondan foydalanish. Formativ baholash o'rganishni
yaxshilaydigan fikr-mulohazalarni olish imkonini beradi, summativ baholash esa
o'rganishni o'lchaydi. Formativ baholash o'quvchilarning ehtiyojlarini tan olish va
o'qitishni mos ravishda moslashtirish uchun ularning rivojlanishi va
tushunishlarini tez-tez, interaktiv baholashni anglatadi. Ushbu maqolada til
o'rganishda formativ va summativ baholash muhokama qilinadi.
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Kalit so'zlar: formativ baholash, rivojlanish, til o'rganish, o'qish, talabalar,
ma'no, zaif tomonlar, o'qitish, maqsad, harakat, mehnat.
Аннотация: Формативно-суммативная оценка происходит в двух
основных формах: с использованием пробного экзамена перед финальным или
с использованием финального экзамена перед пересдачей. Формативная
оценка позволяет получить обратную связь, которая улучшает обучение, в
то время как итоговая оценка измеряет обучение. Формативная оценка
относится к частым интерактивным оценкам развития и понимания
учащихся для распознавания их потребностей и соответствующей
корректировки обучения. В этой статье обсуждается формативная и
итоговая оценка в изучении языка.
Ключевые слова: формативная оценка, развитие, изучение языка,
изучение, ученики, значение, слабые стороны, обучение, цель, усилие, работа.
INTRODUCTION
In teaching and learning, assessment is defined as a procedure applied by
instructors and students during instruction through which teachers provide
necessary feedbacks to modify ongoing learning and teaching to develop learners’
attainment of planned instructional aims. According to Popham , assessment is an
intended procedure in which evidence of learners’ status is utilized by educators to
adjust their ongoing instructional processes or applied by learners to change their
present instructional strategies. Assessment intends to improve learning and it is
used to reduce the gap between students’ present instructional situation and their
target learning objectives. Two types of assessment are formative and summative.
According to Glazer , summative assessment is generally applied to give learners
a numerical score with limited feedback[1]. Therefore, summative assessment is
commonly used to measure learning and is rarely used for learning. Educators can
make the summative assessment more formative by giving learners the opportunity
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to learn from exams. This would mean supplying pupils with feedback on exams
and making use of the teaching potentiality of exams. Wininger proposed an
amalgamation of assessment techniques between summative assessment and
formative assessment. This marriage between summative assessment and formative
assessment is referred to as summative-formative assessment. Based on Wininger,
summative-formative assessment is used to review the exam with examinees so
they can get feedback on comprehension. Formative-summative assessment occurs
in two primary forms: using a mock exam before the final or using the final exam
before the retake.
METHODS
Formative assessment allows for feedback which improves learning while
summative assessment measures learning. Formative assessment refers to frequent,
interactive assessments of students’ development and understanding to recognize
their needs and adjust teaching appropriately[2]. According to Glazer , formative
assessment is generally defined as tasks that allow pupils to receive feedback on
their performance during the course. In the classroom, teachers use assessments as
a diagnostic tool at the termination of lessons or the termination of units. In
addition, teachers can use assessments for teaching, by identifying student
misconceptions and bridging gaps in learning through meaningful feedback.
Unfortunately, numerous instructors consider formative assessments as a tool to
measure students’ learning, while missing out on its teaching potential. Testing and
teaching can be one or the same which will be discussed further in this research.
According to Black et al, using formative tests for formative purposes improves
classroom practice whereby students can be encouraged in both reflective and
active review of course content. In general terms, formative assessment is
concerned with helping students to develop their learning. Formative assessment
can be considered as a pivotal and valid part of the blending of assessment and
teaching.
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RESULTS
Formative assessment helps students gain an understanding of the
assessment process and provides them with feedback on how to refine their efforts
for improvement. However, in practice, assessment for learning is still in its
infancy, and many instructors still struggle with providing productive and timely
feedback. Using the mentioned assessments can positively affect the test anxiety of
the students[3]. Test anxiety signifies the extent to which the students experience
apprehension, fear, uneasiness, panic tension, and restlessness while even thinking
of forthcoming tests or exams. Anxiety can also be regarded as a product of
hesitation about imminent events or situations. Test anxiety is the emotional
reaction or status of stress that happens before exams and remains throughout the
period of the exams. Anxiety can commonly be connected to coercions to self-
efficacy and evaluations of circumstances as threatening or reactions to a resource
of stress to continue.
The other variable which can influence the consequences of tests or testing
sessions in EFL settings is the attitudes of students towards English culture, English
language, and English people. Kara stated that attitude about learning together with
beliefs and opinions have a significant impact on learners’ behaviors and
consequently on their performances. Those learners who have desirable beliefs
about language learning are willing to rise more positive attitudes toward language
learning. On the other hand, having undesirable beliefs can result in negative
attitudes, class anxiety, and low cognitive achievements. There are both negative
and positive attitudes towards learning[4]. Positive attitudes can develop learning
and negative attitudes can become barriers to learning because students have these
attitudes as they have difficulties in learning or they just feel that what is presented
to them is boring. While a negative attitude toward learning can lead to poor
performances of students, a positive attitude can result in appropriate and good
performances of students.
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DISCUSSION
In the realm of language learning, assessment is not merely evaluative but
fundamentally pedagogical. The dichotomy between formative and summative
assessment reflects two distinct paradigms in how language proficiency is
measured and developed.
Formative Assessment aligns with constructivist and sociocultural theories
of learning (e.g., Vygotsky). It positions language learning as an evolving process
mediated by interaction, feedback, and scaffolding within the learner’s Zone of
Proximal Development (ZPD). Summative Assessment, on the other hand, stems
from behaviorist and positivist traditions, where learning is broken into measurable
outcomes and language competence is evaluated in terms of observable
performance. Encourages risk-taking and experimentation in language use, crucial
for developing communicative competence. Functions as assessment of learning,
typically at the culmination of a learning phase.Offers accountability and
standardized benchmarks for learners, institutions, and policymakers. Can
reinforce or undermine learner motivation depending on the fairness, transparency,
and alignment with real-world language use.
Formative practices require a high level of diagnostic skill and
adaptability. Teachers must analyze language use in real-time and offer targeted
support. Summative assessments necessitate construct validity and reliability. Tests
must reflect the constructs of language proficiency they're intended to measure.
Formative assessment cultivates learner autonomy. It shifts the learner’s role from
passive recipient to active co-constructor of knowledge. Summative assessment has
high-stakes implications (e.g., passing a language proficiency exam for
immigration or academic purposes), potentially creating test anxiety or a "teach-to-
the-test" culture. Modern pedagogy increasingly sees formative and summative
assessment as complementary, not mutually exclusive: Assessment as learning: A
third paradigm that sees assessment as a tool for learners to self-regulate, self-
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assess, and internalize criteria for success[5]. Portfolio-based assessments can
blend both purposes—tracking ongoing development (formative) while
culminating in a final evaluation (summative). Task-based language assessment
(TBLA) provides authentic communicative contexts, allowing assessment to be
both performance-oriented and pedagogically relevant. Language programs often
face tensions between pedagogical integrity and institutional demands. While
formative assessment is ideal for classroom learning, summative tools are required
for gatekeeping functions.
Large-scale language testing bodies (e.g., Cambridge, IELTS) have begun
integrating formative elements into their materials (e.g., learner profiles, feedback
reports) to better support instructional goals. While summative and formative
assessments serve different purposes, their integration is key to effective language
instruction. A balanced assessment framework recognizes that learning a language
is not linear, and that assessment should reflect the complex, social, and dynamic
nature of language use.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study proved the positive impacts of applying formative
assessments on Iranian EFL students’ academic motivation, attitude toward
learning, test anxiety, and self-regulation skill. Therefore, teachers are strongly
recommended to use formative assessment in their classes to help students improve
their language learning. Using formative assessment allows teachers to modify
instruction according to the results; consequently, making modifications and
improvements can generate immediate benefits for their students’ learning.
One more conclusion is that using formative assessment gives the teacher
the ability to provide continuous feedback to their students. This allows the students
to be part of the learning environment and to improve self-assessment strategies
that will help with the understanding of their own thinking processes. All in all,
providing frequent feedback during the learning process is regarded as an efficient
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technique for motivating and encouraging students to learn a language more
successfully. Indeed, by assessing students during the lesson, the teachers can aid
them to improve their skills and examine if they are progressing or not. Thus,
formative assessment is an essential part of teaching that should be used in EFL
instructional contexts.
References.
1. Abeywickrama, P., & Brown, H. D. (2010). Language assessment:
Principles and classroom practices. Pearson Longman.
2. Ahmad, S. (2012). Relationship of academic SE to self-regulated learning,
SI, test anxiety and academic achievement. International Journal of
Education, 4(1), 12–25.
3. Ahmadi, S., Namazizadeh, M., Abdoli, B., & Seyedalinejad, A. (2009).
Comparison of achievement motivation of football players between the top and
bottom teams of the Football Premier League. Olympic Quarterly, 17(3), 19–27.
4. Al Tayib Umar, A., & Abdulmlik Ameen, A. (2021). The effects of
formative evaluation on students’ achievement in English for specific
purposes. Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 9(7), 185–197.
5. Alahmadi, N., Alrahaili, M., & Alshraideh, D. (2019). The impact of the
formative assessment in speaking test on Saudi students’ performance. Arab World
English Journal, 10(1), 259–270.
