Teachers’ Awareness of Student-Centered Pedagogy and Assessment in EFL Context

Abstract

The academic community unanimously asserts that student-centered pedagogy and assessment (SCPA) practices are indispensable for instructional methodology and evaluation. Existing literature indicates a noticeable, possibly minimal, gap in attention, particularly within the context of Najran University, regarding English teachers' awareness of these two fundamental practices. Consequently, this study investigated English teachers' awareness regarding SCPA practices in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Additionally, the study sought to analyze participants' responses in correlation with their gender, experience, degree, and specialization. The research objectives were achieved through a survey method, employing a set of instruments comprising a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview conducted with a conveniently chosen sample of 73 faculty members. The results revealed a very high level of awareness among faculty members regarding SCPA practices in the EFL context. Furthermore, gender, experience, degree, and specialization were found to have no significant impact on the responses of the study sample. Qualitative analysis of the semi-structured interviews highlighted the connection between SCPA practices and students' language success, emphasizing factors, such as encouragement, engagement, responsibility, and positive impact. The study's findings provide recommendations and implications for future practices in English language teaching.