Assessment for Learning: Integrating Assessment, Teaching, and Learning in the ESL/EFL Writing Classroom

Assessment for learning (AfL) is a relatively new concept in ESL/EFL writing. In AfL, learning is a goal in its own right, and assessment is the means to achieving the goal. Despite an emphasis on assessment the concept AfL appears to suggest, in implementing AfL teachers need to integrate teaching, learning and assessment rather than focus exclusively on how to assess student writing per se. This article aims to discuss the key concepts of AfL with reference to writing and provide practical suggestions to help ESL/EFL writing teachers implement AfL in their own classroom.