Reforms in the educational sector within the Maltese context are ongoing (Eurydice, 2023). The launch of the syllabi based on the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF) in Secondary Schools which commenced in 2018 gave rise to new assessment practices. The introduction of coursework to weigh in the certification system operated by MATSEC Examinations Board of the University of Malta constitutes one of the changes which exerted a great impact on the teaching profession. Very recently, the idea of coursework was replaced by the concept of School-Based Assessment (SBA).

The case study is conducted in a Maltese Secondary School as part of a larger project titled “Assessment of French as a Foreign Language (FFL) at Secondary Level in Malta”. Its main aim is to document the period of transition in order to corroborate or refute teacher empowerment with regard to assessment advocated by the Learning Outcomes Approach. In fact, one of the main goals of the LOF is to encourage more curricular autonomy in schools to better address the learning needs of the students. The study also seeks to find out whether SBA is serving the purpose of formative assessment in the FFL classroom. Data collection took place in two state schools and two church schools. Year 9 and Year 10 lessons spanning over a unit were recorded and transcribed. Excerpts of lessons are being analysed and examined in the light of formative assessment practices (Wiliam & Jones, 2007) and pedagogical assessment systems (Macaro et al, 2016; Pasquini, 2021) devised to enhance the power of assessment in the modern foreign language classroom. Moreover, teachers observed took part in a focus group interview enabling them to justify the choice of pedagogy and assessment practices of the lessons observed. Participants also express their opinions regarding the introduction of SBA and share their views about its implementation in the secondary classroom within the context of the school in which they teach. Indeed, Hopfenbeck (2018) emphasises the importance of the diverse contexts in which studies on educational assessment take place. Subsequently, the present study aims to illustrate the importance of taking into consideration the context in which any study on assessment is based.

The research paper hence attempts to find out whether the SBA practices observed are in line with the principles underpinning formative assessment in the FFL classrooms and the roles that teachers and learners are playing in the learning and assessment processes within the local transitional phase of language assessment culture and practices.

Keywords: School-based assessment, French as a Foreign Language, Secondary Level, Formative Asessment.