“Psychology of Assessment” with Alex Thorp and Alicja Galazka from Trinity College London

Why do many learners feel alienated or intimidated by assessment, and what can I do about it?

The answers are critical as they could have a direct and negative impact on learner performance, and they relate directly to psychology. A learner brings their whole self as a psychological entity to any classroom or assessment task, yet assessment practice is often driven by content and observed achievement, based on stimulus and anticipated response. This reflects outdated models of psychology and doesn’t necessarily take learner psychology into consideration. Through exploration into insights into contemporary educational and positive psychology, the notion of psychological capital is explored, incorporating key themes of Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism. Their practical application is covered, both through classroom activities and consideration of implications to assessment task design and delivery. The talk considers how engaging the ‘whole’ learner as a psychological being can enhance learning outcomes and help ascertain a truer measure of a learner’s skills and abilities.

Alicja is an academic teacher and researcher and works at the University of Silesia in Poland. She is also a psychotherapist, psychologist, linguist, licensed coach and international master trainer and the President of ICI (International Coaching Institute) in Poland.  Her main interest is psychology and drama in the ELT classroom. She is passionate about positive psychology and behavioural interventions in the classroom. She regularly runs webinars and workshops for teachers of English supporting their well-being and resilience.

Alex is the Lead Academic, Language (Europe) at Trinity College London and is working with a diverse range of projects related to English language assessment and teacher development. He previously gained over 15 years' experience heading a teacher training department in the UK. With special interests in English Language Assessment and Educational Psychology, he publishes and presents the world over with the aim of supporting best practices in language teaching and testing. Alex has worked developing English teaching and assessment programmes with a wide range of private and governmental institutions. He lives on a farm in the South of the UK.