Teachers’ Assessment Patterns and their Effect on Senior Secondary Students’ Achievement and Retention in English Grammar

Abstract

This study investigated teachers’ assessment patterns and their effect on senior secondary II students’ achievement and retention in English grammar. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi experimental design was used. The instruments used for data collection were English Grammar Achievement Test (EGAT) and Teachers’ Assessment Patterns Questionnaire (TAPQ). The sample size was 78 SS2 students of both sexes drawn from two secondary schools within Makurdi Metropolis. Data collected were analyzed using means and t-test statistics. The results showed that students benefitted from assessment patterns that included assessment for learning and assessment as learning more than those assessed solely by assessment of learning. The results also indicated that both male and female students benefitted equally from assessment patterns that included assessment for and as learning. It was recommended that teachers should employ assessment approaches that involve assessment as and for learning and should not use assessment of learning only. It was further suggested that Educational administrators/implementers, publishers and policy makers, should endeavour to incorporate assessment for learning and assessment as learning into the nation’s education policy and ensure their implementation.

Key words: assessment patterns, grammar, achievement, retention