Teachers’ Understanding and Practices of Adaptive Formative Assessment: A Pilot Study with Pre-Service English Teachers

Abstract

Adaptive formative assessment emphasizes the use of evidence of learning to adjust instruction to learners’ needs, abilities, and learning progress. This paper explores pre-service English teachers’ conceptual understanding and reported practices of adaptive formative assessment. The study employed a pilot survey design involving 60 pre-service English teachers who had completed courses in English language teaching methodology and educational assessment and were undertaking teaching practicum. Data were collected using a questionnaire comprising 30 items measuring conceptual understanding and 32 items measuring reported practices of adaptive formative assessment. The data were analyzed descriptively using means and standard deviations. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers’ conceptual understanding was generally high to very high, particularly regarding instructional responsiveness, feedback provision, and support for learner responsibility. Their reported practices also showed generally high levels, particularly in communicating learning objectives, checking students’ understanding, providing feedback, and adjusting instruction. However, practices involving peer assessment, self-assessment, flexible grouping, differentiation, and the development of learner agency were reported at relatively lower levels. The findings suggest partial alignment between conceptual understanding and reported practices, highlighting the importance of strengthening practical experiences and teacher education approaches that promote systematic instructional adaptation and learner agency among pre-service teachers.