A case study of ESL teachers knowledge and ability in the implementation of school-based assessment (SBA)

The objective of this study is to investigate the English as Second Language teachers’ knowledge and ability in implementing School-Based Assessment (SBA). It is also to identify the challenges and their recommendations to improve its implementation. A qualitative research design was chosen to answer three research questions. Three sets of instruments were utilized to measure teachers’ knowledge and ability. Seven ESL teachers were selected as purposive sampling in the study from two secondary schools which were selected from one of the districts in Selangor. This case study participants were employed to be in the interview to gain a better insightful explanation on the challenges and suggestions of the implementation of SBA. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations and document analyses. The findings of the study indicated that the teachers had insufficient knowledge and ability to implement School-Based Assessment effectively in schools. Some of the challenges that they encountered were time constraint, students’ negative attitudes, unclear guidelines and heavy workloads. Several suggestions were put forward to ensure the success and the smooth running of its implementation. The implication of this study suggests that the teachers’ sufficient knowledge and ability will increase the effectiveness of the SBA implementation. However, a more comprehensive quantitative study should be carried out in other schools from different districts to seek its effective implementation.