Teachers’ Voices: Challenges in Designing ESP Assessment

Abstract

This study investigates the challenges faced by English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers in designing assessment instruments to facilitate student learning. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach, strategically crafted to offer a comprehensive and nuanced portrayal of the perspectives and thoughts of ESP instructors. This investigation delves into the insights of eight ESP teachers, carefully selected from diverse backgrounds, each contributing to the rich tapestry of English instruction. The participants are drawn from three distinct universities situated in the East Java region of Indonesia, showcasing the regional diversity inherent in ESP pedagogy. Findings from this investigation reveal four key challenges for ESP educators in the creation of assessments, encompassing a grasp of student needs, adjusting difficulty levels, ensuring alignment with workplace contexts, and managing class heterogeneity. The findings of the research can serve as a foundation for the development of training programs or pedagical guidelines specifically designed to assist ESP teacher in overcoming obstacles in developing pertinent and efficient evaluation tools to support student learning, thereby enhancing the quality of learning and evaluation in such environments.