To like and be liked in language learning: some reflections on self and peer-assessment

The paper reports some reflections and experiments on pleasure and efficiency in self and peer-assessment as a contribution to the involvement of students in the construction of their learning path. It explores the following questions: How important is it to address issues of language and cultural identity when designing a self-assessment test? How can we involve students in peer-assessment? Can we realistically think in terms of self-assessed entry and exit tests? What time scales need to be envisaged in the realisation of web-based self-assessment? The paper provides an interim report for colleagues facing similar challenges on work carried out in recent years at the University of Messina’s Language Centre (CLAM). It is divided into four separate sections: in Section 1 general issues on self and peer-assessment are discussed; Section 2 reports on a self-assessment project, while Section 3 looks into key factors in the creation of a software platform for placement test management. Section 4 presents a case study relating to primary schoolteachers as language learners. The final section provides a brief summary of the provisional findings.