The Effectiveness of Portfolio Assessment on EFL Students' Writing Performance: The Case of Third Year Secondary Students in Algeria

Abstract

The current study examines the effect of the portfolio assessment method to assess writing ability of third year foreign languages learners enrolled at a secondary school in Laghouat, Algeria. The objective was to find out whether a particular portfolio assessment model was successful in helping the students to improve their English writing ability in general, and writing strategies and processes in particular. In doing so, four experimental tools were implemented: Pretest/Posttest, English Writing Evaluation Exam, Self-Reporting Questionnaire, and Analytic Scoring Rubric. Accordingly, the findings of the posttest and post-self-questionnaire displayed a notable improvement in English writing performance of the learners and in their writing product skills as well. Indeed, results indicated a significant increase in the students’ use of writing processes as a result of the portfolio assessment method. The study concluded that the portfolio assessment model is found to be an effective instructional strategy as well as an evaluation tool, besides that it enhances the learners' English writing performance by focusing efforts on writing products as well as writing processes.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p119