Teachers’ and Markers’ Perceptions on Vocabulary Assessment: Bridging Instruction and Evaluation in the LGCSE Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v5i1.6325Keywords:
English Assessment, Lesotho, Pedagogical–Assessment lignment, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary ProficiencyAbstract
Vocabulary proficiency is documented as requisite for reading comprehension and overall language proficiency; nevertheless, learners in Lesotho insistently flounder in the comprehension segment of the LGCSE English Paper II examinations. This study explores the perceptions of teachers and markers about vocabulary assessment as a nexus between teaching and assessment within the Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education English syllabus. Employing a qualitative research approach embedded in the interpretivist paradigm, data was collected using semi-structured interviews with nine English Language teachers and LGCSE markers purposively selected from secondary schools and examination panel. Thematic analysis showed that learners’ meagre comprehension performance typically comes from a dearth of vocabulary breadth and depth, an inadequate reading culture, and the dearth of unambiguous vocabulary teaching allied with examination necessities. Participants constantly acknowledged “own-word,” “inference,” and “effect-of-words” questions as the utmost problematic for learners, signifying insufficient contact to inferential reading and contextual vocabulary use. The data exposes a pedagogical-assessment discrepancy, wherein classroom teaching highlights literal comprehension, while assessments gauge inferential and evaluative skills. The study signposts that language proficiency is the vital link between teaching and assessment, and its disregard bears learners’ poor performance. It advocates for a well elucidated and contextualized vocabulary teaching, alignment of syllabus and assessment techniques, efficient feedback interchange between markers and teachers, and programmes to indorse a reading culture within schools. Improving these capacities could meaningfully develop learners’ vocabulary aptitude and comprehension skills, safeguarding that teaching and assessment practices in English education function cohesively.
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