The Effect of Portfolio Assessment on Writing Anxiety and the Quality of Writing Performance of Intermediate Level Iranian English Language Learners

Kazemimehr, Mehdi; Safdari, Saeed

doi:10.22034/jitle.2024.476708.1011

The Effect of Portfolio Assessment on Writing Anxiety and the Quality of Writing Performance of Intermediate Level Iranian English Language Learners

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mehdi Kazemimehr ¹

Saeed Safdari ²

¹ MA, Department of English, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of English, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran

10.22034/jitle.2024.476708.1011

Abstract

Due to its effective role in the progress of students, portfolio assessment has received a lot of attention as one of the alternative assessment methods. The present study, in particular, investigated the effect of portfolio assessment on writing anxiety and writing performance of Iranian language learners. For this purpose, 64 intermediate female language learners in Ramsar, Mazandaran were selected via convenience sampling. They were randomly assigned to two experimental (n= 31) and control groups (n= 33). During one academic semester, the experimental group received portfolio assessment and the control group was evaluated by the traditional method. To collect data, the writing anxiety questionnaire (Cheng, 2004) and the writing section of the TOEFL test were used in the pre-test and post-test stages. The results of ANCOVA showed that portfolio assessment has significantly reduced writing anxiety. In addition, the use of this method of assessment caused an obvious improvement in the quality of language learners' writing. Therefore, the positive effectiveness of portfolio assessment in improving anxiety and writing performance was confirmed. English language teachers are suggested to use this method to reduce tension, increase the quality of learning, and provide students with more responsibility and autonomy.

Keywords

portfolio assessment

writing anxiety

writing quality

intermediate language learners

Subjects