Can formative assessment reduce second-language writing anxiety?

Although formative assessment has been gaining increasing importance, most of the previous research focuses more on how formative assessment affects the cognitive aspects of students’ learning process and less on the emotional aspects. This research aims to explore whether formative assessment can reduce second-language students’ writing anxiety and how different types of formative assessment achieve the results. The researcher designed a writing course according to Black and Wiliam’s theory of formative assessment, and integrated self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher conferencing into a 17-week teaching schedule. By adopting a mixed-methods approach, the researcher measured second-language students’ writing anxiety before and after the program, and collected students’ perceptions on self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher conferencing with open-ended questions. The findings show that students’ second-language writing anxiety was successfully reduced after 4 months’ teaching with formative assessment. Their low self-confidence in writing English, aversiveness to writing in English, and evaluation apprehension were all significantly reduced. The effects of three formative assessments vary. Peer assessment and teacher conferencing were more effective than self-assessment in alleviating anxiety. Self-assessment provides students with clear criteria and task requirements, which reduces their blind fear and boosts their confidence. Peer assessment ensures an encouraging and pressure-free environment by offering positive feedback. Teacher conferencing solves students’ problems efficiently by real-time and one-on-one tutoring, and provides emotional supports. In a word, formative assessment achieves results through solving writing problems and fostering positive emotions at the same time. However, because of individual differences and other reasons, formative assessment may even increase anxiety among a small number of people. This study highlights the great potential of formative assessment in enhancing emotional support in second-language learning.