The effects of formative and summative assessment on students’ motivation in an EFL classroom

Abstract

This research synthesis aims to explore the reported effects of formative and summative assessment on students’ motivation in EFL classrooms as well as the students’ perceptions regarding the use of these types of assessment. In order to meet the objective, 21 empirical studies were identified. These studies were conducted in EFL settings and published within a 20-year time frame. The results of the analysis revealed that formative and summative assessment can affect positively and negatively students’ motivation depending on different factors such as grades and feedback. In the same way, students’ perceptions show that they can experience different feelings such as stress, anxiety, self-motivation, and intrinsic motivation in response to the assessment they receive. It was evidenced that students prefer the use of both types of assessment simultaneously as this combination can lead to the improvement of their learning process. Based on the findings, it is recommended that teachers use these two types of assessment in combination and also different ways of assessing students in addition to the more traditional ones. Further research on formative and summative assessment in Ecuadorian EFL classrooms is suggested