DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT LITERACY IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS: A CAMBRIDGE-BASED APPROACH TO A2 KEY FOR SCHOOLS WRITING

Abstract

This article examines the role of A2 Key for Schools, one of the Cambridge English Qualifications, in secondary education and in the systematic development of assessment literacy in pre-service English teachers, with a specific focus on the writing paper. Emphasis is placed on the email / letter and story tasks and on preparing teacher-training students to apply the analytic Writing Assessment Scale and CEFR A2 descriptors to learners’ written production.

Drawing on recent official exam materials and teacher-development resources, the study proposes a framework of core competences for pre-service English teachers. These include: understanding the principles of analytic writing assessment and the structure of the scale (Content, Organisation, Language); interpreting and applying A2-level criteria when working with learners’ texts; designing coherent lesson sequences that integrate preparation for A2 Key for Schools with the communicative development of writing; using formative assessment, varied feedback formats and self-assessment; organising mock exams, analysing typical learner errors and planning subsequent teaching on this basis. Practical implications concern the elective course “International Examinations and the Specificities of Exam Preparation”, which is presented as a reference model for designing methodology and assessment components aligned with international examination standards. It is argued that informed, reflective and ethically grounded exam-preparation practices enhance both learners’ writing performance and the professional growth of pre-service teachers. Aligning university-based teacher education with school realities through such a framework helps future teachers to build a robust understanding of the A2 Key for Schools Writing paper and to prepare learners for the exam in a responsible, learner-centered way.

Future research is aimed at exploring the long-term impact of exam-focused assessment literacy on classroom outcomes, adaptation of the framework to other CEFR-aligned exams, and the integration of digital assessment tools to enhance pre-service teachers’ training.