Does Portfolio-Based Language Assessment Align with Learning-Oriented Assessment? Evidence from Literacy Learners and their Instructors

A high-stakes Portfolio-Based Language Assessment (PBLA) protocol that was fully implemented in all Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs 2019 requires instructors and students set language-learning goals complete, compile, reflect on numerous authentic language tasks. Due the barriers incurred when communicating with beginner English-as-a-second-language literacy learners (BELLs), no PBLA research has been conducted BELLs. To address this gap, we interviewed 26 BELLs (n = 2 from 13 L1s) their 4) about understanding use of PBLA. Student interviews were assistance bilingual interpreters students’ L1s. All then transcribed thematically analyzed relation PBLA’s alignment six dimensions Turner Purpura’s (2016) learning-oriented assessment framework: contextual, elicitation, proficiency, learning, instructional, interactional, affective. Results have implications optimizing task-based instruction practices LINC.