Contextualized Assessment Literacy Practices in TLA-Integrated English Education:Evidence from Multiple Teaching Cases in Inner Mongolia

Abstract

This study examines how English teachers’ assessment literacy-related practices are presented within TLA-integrated teaching cases in Inner Mongolia.. Drawing on a three-dimensional assessment literacy perspective and the Teacher Assessment Literacy in Practice (TALiP) framework, the study develops an analytical model incorporating contextual conditions, assessment orientations, assessment-related knowledge indicators, practical manifestations, TLA integration, and regional adaptation. Data were collected from publicly available teaching plans, professional documents, platform materials, and related case evidence, and analyzed through contextual identification, assessment-literacy coding, TLA-practice coding, and cross-case comparison. The findings reveal three major patterns. First, the documented practices commonly represent assessment as an integrated component of teaching and learning, with learning objectives, classroom tasks, assessment evidence, feedback, and instructional adjustment closely connected. Second, assessment practices vary across educational contexts: urban and town schools demonstrate greater emphasis on professional exchange and diversified assessment applications, while township and border-area schools highlight resource adaptation, digital support, and contextualized implementation. Third, technology functions as an enabling condition for assessment practice development. Smart education platforms, AI-supported feedback systems, and dual-teacher models expand opportunities for evidence collection and feedback, but remain dependent on teacher interpretation and pedagogical adjustment.  This study contributes to language assessment literacy research by shifting attention from assumed teacher cognition toward observable and documented assessment practices within specific educational contexts. It also provides insights into how regional conditions, technological resources, and institutional support shape the implementation of TLA integration in English education. Future research should incorporate classroom observations, interviews, assessment materials, and student learning evidence to further examine the relationship between documented practices and teachers’ actual assessment processes.