Power and Reader-Writer Relationship : EFL Writing Assessment

Abstract

EFL writing assessment in Thailand relies to a great extent on rapidity and reliabilityin order to match teachersû workloads and studentsû English language competence. †As a result,rubrics usually include criteria such as ideas, organization, sentence structure, mechanics,wording, and verbal facility, in other words, those that make grading quick and easilyexplainable. †One important effect of this traditional method of assessment is that teachers payless attention to other qualities that truly reflect the function and nature of writing. †This paperpresents power and reader-writer relationship as two possible criteria that may expand thecurrent limited writing assessment method into other realms and give teachers more insight intohow one should assess and research in the field of EFL writing. †This paper suggests that otherelements of writing such as imagination, metaphor, ideology, ethos, and pathos should alsobe taken into consideration along with the assessment of power or reader-writerrelationship.Key words : writing assessment, EFL writing assessment, grading criteria, power, reader-writerrelationship