Teachers' Need for Authentic Assessment to Assess Writing Skill at Grade VII of Junior High Schools in Teluk Kuantan

摘要

Authentic assessment is the process of gathering information by teachers about students' progress and achievement. It is done by using several activities that are relevant and closely related to daily life. The use of authentic assessment cannot be separated from teachers' need on it. This article aims to find out teachers' need on authentic assessment to assess writing skill of grade VIII students at junior high schools. This is a survey study. The data were collected through interview with 20 English teachers of junior high schools in TelukKuantan that teach grade VIII students. The interview was focused on the teachers' wants on authentic assessment for writing skill. The findings show that (1) there are several types of authentic assessment needed by the teachers; writing sample, process writing, portfolio, performance assessment, journal and project/exhibition; (2) the topics needed were factual and familiar topics for students such as family, famous people, things around them; and (3) teachers need simple analytical scoring rubrics. Clearly, the teachers need several types of authentic assessment that are appropriate to assess students' writing skill.