Language Testing in Colombia

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding teaching and learning is without any doubt the meaning given to the term assessment.  Assessing has become one of the greatest fears for both teachers and students since the only connotation they give to this word is that of testing for grading instead of that of assessing for getting information about students' processes and teaching practices in order to make decisions which will generate improvements. 

The article about Language Testing in Colombia by Alexis López and Ricardo Bernal clearly shows the perceptions teachers have towards assessment. It is quite surprising to find out that professionals in education do not know what assessment really is for since this function is one of the most important aspects of education.  

Assessment is not only a great tool to improve learning successfully, but also an innovative way to encourage students to use self-assessment and peer-review in order to monitor their learning processes.

When it comes to enhance instruction and learning processes in students, the implementation of assessment is  crucial. Teachers definitely need to be aware of how relevant this topic is. In order to create effective instruction and to form competent educators, teachers need to receive a high quality training. Teachers need to be capable of measuring achievement, keeping track of the students' learning processes and of course teachers need to be skillful enough to provide detailed and meaningful feedback to students.