臺大外文系學術演講

NTU DFLL Faculty Colloquium

Title: Writing Assessment Literacy for Language Teachers

Speaker: Dr Paul Kei Matsuda (Arizona State University)

Moderator: Dr Sin-Yi Chang 張心瑜助理教授 (Assistant Professor, National Taiwan University)

Time: 3:30-5:00 pm Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Venue: Room B208, Humanities Building, NTU (臺大人文館B208室)

Abstract: Writing assessment literacy is essential for language teachers, yet it often remains a difficult area of practice. This presentation explores the knowledge, skills, and dispositions teachers need to design and use writing assessments that genuinely support learning. Assessment literacy involves identifying clear purposes, aligning assessments with instructional goals, ensuring validity and reliability, and addressing equity in both design and implementation. The session begins with the question of what makes writing “good,” highlighting overall effectiveness as shaped by purpose, audience, genre, and language. From there, it examines key concepts such as direct and indirect assessment, norm- versus criterion-referenced approaches, and holistic, analytic, and primary-trait rubrics. The talk also introduces practical classroom strategies—including portfolio assessment, contract grading, and low-stakes writing tasks—that can balance assessment of, for, and as learning. Framed as a career-long commitment, writing assessment literacy enables teachers to integrate assessment into instruction and advocate for effective and ethical practices.

Speaker bio: Paul Kei Matsuda is Professor of English and Director of Second Language Writing at Arizona State University. He is Founding Chair of the Symposium on Second Language Writing and former President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics. He has published widely in applied linguistics, writing studies, and TESOL, and has received a number of prestigious awards for his publications.