Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJAL) - Vol. 26 - No. 1 - Cross-examining the Effects of Portfolio Assessment on Genre-based Writing

Oct 3, 2026

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This study cross-examined 46 EFL undergraduates over a 12-week portfolio assessment (PA) design to determine how PA affects genre-based writing improvement and learner engagement. Teacher feedback from consecutive formative assessments used West Virginia Department of Education descriptive and Smarter Balanced narrative genre-specific rubrics. Results showed PA significantly improved accurate word choice, grammar, idea development, and organization in descriptive writing session-wise, with narrative gains supported in elaboration, language/vocabulary, organization, convention, and post-test performance. Engagement was analyzed via reflective journals and student self-reports.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Assessment for learning and learner engagement

Portfolio assessment in L2 writing

Research gap and study aim

Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJAL) Vol. 26, No. 1, March 2023, 216-239 Cross-examining the Effects of Portfolio Assessment on Genre-based Writing: English as a Foreign Language Learner Engagement on Focus Natasha Pourdana* Associate Professor, English Translation and Language Teaching Department, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. Payam Nour Assistant Professor, English Translation and Language Teaching Department, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran | Abstract | | --- | | Due to inconclusive evidence for the differential impacts of portfolio assessment (PA) on genre-based writing improvement and learner engagement, this study cross-examined 46 EFL undergraduates’ descriptive and narrative writing performances in a 12-week PA design. Teacher feedback points were collected from consecutive formative assessments of the students’ descriptive and narrative writing according to the genre-specific indicators in the West Virginia Department of Education descriptive writing rubric and Smarter Balanced narrative writing rubric, respectively. Statistical results reported the significant impact of PA on improving accurate word choice and grammar, development, and organization of ideas in session-wise students’ descriptive writing, with no sign of improvement in their performance on post-test descriptive writing. Further, the positive impact of PA was supported by improving the components of elaboration of narrative, language and vocabulary, organization, and convention in session-wise students’ narrative writing, as well as their performance on post-test narrative writing. Qualitative data on students’ engagement in PA was collected from inductive content analysis of their reflective journals. Students’ self-reports were schematized, and their level of engagement was rendered in terms of their approval of the usefulness and novelty of PA, the frequent mismatch between student self-assessment and teacher feedback both in quality and quantity, the sensitivity of teacher feedback to some writing features over others, the applicability of teacher feedback to the revision process, and overall positive perception of writing improvement.
Keywords: Assessment, Descriptive, Genre-based, Narrative, Portfolio, Writing | * Corresponding author: Imam Ali Complex, Moazen Blvd., Postal Office Box: 31485-313 Email [address:](address: natasha.qale@gmail.com)[ ](address: natasha.qale@gmail.com)[natasha.qale@gmail.com](address: natasha.qale@gmail.com); [natasha.pourdana@iau.ac.ir](natasha.pourdana@iau.ac.ir) 1. Introduction Since the early 1990s, assessment for learning (AfL) has reached a worldwide audience for improving teaching and learning in an educational context (Farrell, 2024; Lam, 2015) . Several studies have examined how AfL might benefit second/foreign language (L2) teaching pedagogy, language learning, and L2 learner performance (Alavi et al., 2024; Campbell-Evans, 2000) . As Sadler (2010) conceptualized, AfL in language classroom needs the L2 learners’ perception of a gap between a longterm goal and their status quo, as well as their commitment to bridge the gap to attain the goal. Ideally, either language learners will engage in self-assessment to generate information about the gap, or the teachers will explore it and provide feedback about it to the students. Ultimately, the action to close the gap will be taken by the fully engaged students in the process of learning (Sadler, 2010) . But in reality, L2 teachers and learners have more critical steps to take. In AfL practice, the teacher needs to reinforce the capacity of the students to engage, discover the gap diligently, and take full responsibility for carrying out remedial actions. Thus, L2 learner self-engagement is not an option; it is a survival kit. However, the focus on learner engagement is not a common practice in most L2 classrooms, as the majority of language teachers do not welcome such shared responsibilit

FAQs

How was learner engagement with portfolio assessment explored?

Through qualitative inductive content analysis of students’ reflective journals, complemented by schematized self-reports covering usefulness/novelty, mismatch with teacher feedback, sensitivity to writing features, and perceptions of writing improvement.

Oct 3, 2026

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