PRACTICING OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF MEKELLE CITY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice of continuous assessment and to identify the magnitude of challenges that hinder its implementation. As a result, descriptive survey research design was employed. From the target of 1191 population, 206 sample participants were selected from 8 primary schools through available sampling (vice principals and department heads), and simple random sampling (teachers and students). The relevant data were collected through questionnaire, observation check list and interview. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage), whereas; the qualitative data were analyzed through verbal description. Based on the analysis, it was found that though teachers had appropriate knowledge and skills concerning CA, it was not implemented in the expected manner in primary schools of Mekelle city. That is, the implementation of CA was not frequent. The formative purpose of CA was not implemented and students were not meaningfully and purposefully involved. Appropriate feedback was not provided and various assessment strategies were not used in the implementation. It was also found that the practice of CA was challenged by many factors of which large class size, teachers negative attitude, lack of resources, teachers’ workload, students less interest and absence of uniform CA implementation procedures were the most serious one. Moreover, it was also found that teachers had negative attitude towards the implementation of CA. Based on those findings, it was concluded that teachers did not use their knowledge and skills to properly implement CA and measures related to CA challenges were not taken by the concerned bodies. Hence, some recommendations were forwarded as a solution for the identified challenges.