以评促学:“促学评价”理论及其在中国外语教育中的实践

A Theoretical Review of Assessment for Learning and its Practice in Foreign Language Education in China

促学评价在中国,尤其是中国大陆仍是一个新的概念。在过去的二十年中,教育评估领域正经历着从对学习进行的评价(Assessment of Learning)到为促进学习的评价(Assessment for Learning,即促学评价)的变革。本文介绍了促学评价的起源与定义,梳理了促学评价与形成性评价的理论差别,探讨了如何通过评价来促进学习的问题,重点介绍了香港英文科中学校本评核以及清华大学基于大学英语写作课堂的促学评价实践,为中国的外语教育评估改革提供了新路径,并为促学评价提供了理论支撑。

Assessment for learning in China, especially in China's Mainland, still remains a new concept. The last twenty years has witnessed a shift from assessment of learning to assessment for learning in educational assessment field. This paper clarifies the origin and definition of the assessment for learning concept, distinguishes the difference between assessment for learning and formative assessment, and discusses when and in what conditions assessment can promote learning. Two projects which attempted to apply assessment for learning to foreign language education in China were introduced, i. e., a classroom-based assessment for learning practice of English writing at Tsinghua University and the large-scale assessment in Hong Kong, English subject school-based assessment. The paper could inform the current foreign language assessment reform in China with an alternative approach, and provide the assessment for learning endeavor with theoretical support.