Choosing assessment techniques in teaching English for specific purposes

Abstract

The problem of adequate assessment of foreign language proficiency has always been in the focus of investigations dedicated to modern methods and technologies of teaching foreign languages. Recently, more attention has been paid to using alternative assessment methods generated by the teachers of foreign languages themselves and offering the system of multi-directional prolonged criteria based assessment of foreign language competences. It is argued that alternative assessment techniques better correspond to the teaching technologies used by individual teachers, stimulate brain activities, develop creative and logical thinking. This article considers and analyzes one of the models of authentic assessment which is becoming more and more popular – forming an educational portfolio. Examples of this authentic assessment model practical application in teaching business English to the students studying for a Bachelor’s degree in tourism and in teaching English for specific purposes to the students studying for a master’s degree in jewelry are provided and summarised.