Educating formative assessors of the future: Pre-service teachers’ development of formative assessment beliefs, literacy, and practice across coursework and practicum

Early engagement with formative assessment (FA) in pre-service teacher education is crucial, as it shapes how pre-service teachers (PSTs) conceptualise and enact assessment. Conducted in a four-year English language teacher education programme at a state university in Türkiye, this mixed-methods study examines how pre-service teachers’ FA literacy, beliefs, and practices evolve through a designed intervention across coursework and practicum. Results indicate that FA development is a dynamic, contextually shaped process that supports student-centred teaching and student engagement yet remains complex and contingent on personal and contextual factors. Sustained support from instructors and mentors enhanced pre-service teachers’ awareness, confidence, and responsiveness to student learning. The study highlights the importance of scaffolded practicum experiences that integrate reflective dialogue and progressively increased responsibility for FA.