Professional Development Gaps and Needs in Speaking Assessment for Malaysian English Language Teachers

This study looks at the professional development needs and challenges of Malaysian secondary school English teachers when conducting speaking assessments. Although Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) under the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025) aim at improving communicative skills among students, challenges, such as lack of training, limited resources and unclear guidelines make it difficult for teachers to implement them. This mixed-methods study collected quantitative data from 98 teachers using a reliable questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87) and identified key areas for improvement, including creating speaking assessment tasks, maintaining ethical standards, and clearly communicating assessment results. Likewise, qualitative findings showed that additional contextual challenges, such as large class sizes and time constraints, limiting effective assessment practices. The study provides recommendations for targeted training, policy adjustments, and practical solutions tailored to teachers’ needs.