The Use of AfL Strategies to Increase EFL Learners’ Motivation and Spoken Skills: An Action Research Study

---

Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Gazi Üniversitesi, Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2025

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: Huzeyfe Ahmet Demir

Danışman: Müzeyyen Nazlı Güngör

Özet:

This study aims to explore the impact of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies on improving the speaking skills and motivation of high school students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Conducted as an action research project in Turkish state schools, the study investigates how AfL strategies—such as peer feedback, self-assessment, co-constructed learning objectives, and formative dialogue—can be meaningfully embedded into classroom practice. Addressing the limitations of traditional summative assessment approaches in speaking instruction, the research adopts a teacher-researcher stance to implement and observe AfL-based speaking activities. Data were collected through student reflection journals, teacher observation notes, and classroom interactions. Findings indicate that AfL strategies effectively reduced learners' speaking anxiety, boosted their confidence, and promoted more active participation in spoken interaction tasks. Students reported increased motivation and a stronger sense of agency in their learning process. The study offers significant pedagogical implications for foreign language education in Türkiye, especially in the context of recent curriculum reforms that prioritize communicative competence. It highlights the need for in-service teacher education in formative assessment literacy and presents AfL as a practical, learner-centered alternative to traditional evaluation models. Ultimately, this research provides actionable insights for EFL teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking to enhance EFL learners’ motivation and spoken skills through sustainable and context-responsive assessment practices.