HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No. 2
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FACULTY
NGUYEN THI HUE
A STUDY ON THE BENEFITS OF USING PORTFOLIOS
AS A MEANS OF ASSESSMENT IN THE WRITING
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE THIRD-YEAR
STUDENTS OF ENGLISH AT HANOI
PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No. 2

(A CASE STUDY IN THE FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE,
HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY No. 2)
SUPERVISOR: NGUYEN THI LE NGUYEN, M.A

Hanoi, May 2014

i


Since the application of Communicative Language Teaching approach
to EFL teaching, process writing and collaborative learning have been greatly
emphasized as typical features of teaching writing. Writing portfolios is one
of the methods that bear both features above. Reviews on this method have
been seen in a number of books and articles, yet few experimental studies
have been conducted to prove its effectiveness. What is more, it has not yet
been applied widely in Hanoi Pedagogical University No. 2.This encourages
the researcher to investigate the subject matter of what advantages of writing
portfolios are for undergraduate EFL learners.
To describe the characteristics of portfolios, information from materials
have been collected and reflected. Also, the question of how beneficial
writing portfolios are for EFL learners was addressed by means of using the
core method: questionnaire.
The results indicate that students’ perceptions of various aspects of the
portfolio assessment practice are related to their approaches to learning.
Portfolios also help improve students’ practical writing skills. In addition,
students facing several obstacles and their solutions to overcome them were
discussed in details. Those findings are hoped to encourage wider appliance
of writing portfolios to EFL teaching and learning in Vietnam.
I.3. SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH 3
I.4. TASKS OF THE RESEARCH 3
I.5. METHOD OF THE RESEARCH 3
I.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH 4
I.7. OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH 4
CHAPTER TWO
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
II.1 LITERATURE REVIEW IN BRIEF 5
II.2. An overview of assessment 5
II.2.1. Definition of assessment 5
II.2.2. Reasons for assessing students 5
II.2.3. Principles for assessing students 9
II.3. An overview of portfolio 9
II.3.1. Teaching writing 9
II.3.1.1. Product approach 10
II.3.1.2. Process approach 11
II.3.2. Formative and Summative assessment 12
II.3.3. Portfolio as an assessment tool 13
II.3.3.1. Defining portfolio 13
II.3.3.2. Classifying portfolio 14
II.3.3.3. Organizing portfolio content 15
II.3.3.4. Characterizing portfolio writing process 17
II.3.3.5. Assessing portfolio 18
II.3.3.6. Benefits of using portfolios 18
II.3.4. The use of portfolios in writing lessons for third-year students in the Foreign
Language Faculty at Hanoi Pedagogical University No. 2. 20
II.3.4.1. Course objectives 20
v

II.3.4.2. Course assessment 20
vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CAE Certificate in Advanced English
CEFR Common European Frame of Reference for Languages
EFL English as a Foreign Language
ESL English as a Second Language
FLF Foreign Language Faculty
HPU2 Hanoi Pedagogical UniversityN
o
2
ULIS University of Languages and International Studies
VNU Vietnam National University
Figure 4.1
Students’ interest in making portfolios

29
Figure 4.2
How well students understand and use
portfolios.

30
Figure 4.3
Students ‘awareness of promoting mutual
interactions with teacher by using portfolios
31
Figure 4.4
Student’s abilities to organize academic
information after making portfolios
32
Figure 4.5
Students’ awareness of including references
function by using portfolios
33
Figure 4.6
Student’ awareness of using portfolios in the
next semesters
34
studying on any particular group of students. Besides, many other theses
exploit portfolios in the aspect of peer written feedback. As a matter of fact,
students’ writing portfolios are to be assessed by specific criteria. However,
there has not been any study which offers an insight into students’ self-
assessment of their own writing ability as a result of portfolio writing process,
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guided by those criteria. Especially, the specific impacts of portfolio writing
process on students ‘practical writing ability with all factors considered
together still remains cryptic.
To fill the gaps, this paper purports to (1) investigate the effect from the
students’ self-assessment and (2) to identify the obstacles and solutions on the
writing pieces. Three questions were chosen as the research design. The main
data collection instrument was questionnaire. Results from document analysis
of three questions for the third-year students played an important role in
verifying the findings attained from their self-assessment.
The study yielded fruitful findings in response to the three research
questions. Findings from three research questions revealed a similarity of the
most tremendous progress in coverage of main points and vocabulary. In
analyzing documents collected, it was proven that positive changes were
made from version to version thanks to the teacher’s and peers’ comments
and the writer’s self-correction. Remarkably, there also existed noticeable
discrepancy among findings of the three research questions. Some writing
abilities reported as little improved turned out to be more positively
progressed than the students had thought; whereas some reported as seen
much enhancement but it was contrasted to what their writing pieces revealed.
Based on the findings, implications were made for teachers, peers and
the students themselves with the hope of making the most of the writing
portfolio process.
I.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH

how to use them most efficiently.
I.5. METHOD OF THE RESEARCH
To achieve the objectives of study, the following methods have been applied:
 Collecting documents from books listed in the references.
 Consulting the supervisor, experienced teachers and friends.
 Conducting survey questionnaire.
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I.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
Once completed, the study would bring about certain benefits to
teachers, students, and other scientists who share the same interest in this
topic.
Firstly, the research findings may offer teachers a closer look at their
students’ perception of the influence of portfolio writing process. Hence, they
can adjust their teaching methods to help develop students’ writing skills as
well as interest in writing lessons.
Secondly, students can benefit from this research by choosing the most
appropriate suggestions to improve their writing skills.
Last but not least, researchers who take interest in the same topic can
refer to this paper as a source of updated and reliable information.
I.7. OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH
This thesis consists of five main chapters:
Chapter one, Introduction, introduces reasons for choosing the topic,
objectives, scope, tasks and significance of the study, the research method as
well as an overview of the thesis.
Chapter two, Theoretical background, lays the theoretical background
for the study.

teaching and learning the complex, multifaceted skill of writing. As a result,
many composition specialists began to search for ways of measuring student
writing that would be more consistent with the emerging process approach to
writing, allowing other views of student writing than the single, timed test,
usually placed at the end of a writing course. In an attempt to find an attractive
alternative approach to writing assessment, many composition researchers
began to experiment with portfolio-based approaches.
In the context of writing instruction and assessment, a portfolio can be defined
as “a collection of texts the writer has produced over a defined period of time”
(Hamp-Lyons, 1991, p.162) and the collection may consist of “selected but not
necessarily polished or finished pieces” (Privette, 1993, p.60).
Yancey (1992) also stated that all portfolios, regardless of the particular
context, share three essential characteristics. Firstly, they are longitudinal in
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nature. Secondly, portfolios are diverse in content. Thirdly, portfolios are
atmost always collaborative in ownership.
According to Genese and Upshur (1996), portfolios stimulate student
interaction with peers and student ownership in the learning process. This
felling of ownership is enhanced by the fact that the portfolios experience is
not a brief, one-shot presentation of writing. A greater sense of authority or
ownership, in turn, can increase leaner motivation, since learners felt a greater
personal stake in the work they produce.
Another often cited benefit of portfolios can be used to encouraging students to
reflect on the pieces they write and on the process they use to write them.
Student reflection on their writing in preparation of a portfolio is a key concept
in portfolios pedagogy and an essential aspect of learner-directed assessment.
According to Murphy (1994), portfolios can be used to encourage students to
reflect on the pieces they write and on the processes they use to write them.
There have been a certain number of studies related to the topic of

Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the
learning and development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting,
designing, collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using information to
increase students’ learning and development (Erwin, 1991).
Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information
about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student
learning and development (Palomba and Banta, 1999).
II.2.2. Reasons for assessing students
The primary purpose of assessment is to improve students’ learning and
teachers’ teaching as both respond to the information it provides. Assessment
for learning is an ongoing process that arises out of the interaction between
teaching and learning.
Assessment can do more than simply diagnose and identify students’
learning needs; it can be used to assist improvements across the education
system in a cycle of continuous improvement:
Students and teachers can use the information gained from assessment
to determine their next teaching and learning steps.
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Parents and families can be kept informed of next plans for teaching
and learning and the progress being made, so they can play an active role in
their children’s learning.
School leaders can use the information for school-wide planning, to
support their teachers and determine professional development needs.
Communities and Boards of Trustees can use assessment information to
assist their governance role and their decisions about staffing and resourcing.
The Education Review Office can use assessment information to
inform their advice for school improvement.
The Ministry of Education can use assessment information to undertake
policy review and development at a national level, so that government

Assessment is a goal-oriented process. It entails comparing educational
performance with educational purposes and expectations - those derived from
the institution's mission, from faculty intentions in program and course
design, and from knowledge of students' own goals. Where program purposes
lack specificity or agreement, assessment as a process pushes a campus
toward clarity about where to aim and what standards to apply; assessment
also prompts attention to where and how program goals will be taught and
learned. Clear, shared, implementable goals are the cornerstone for
assessment that is focused and useful (AAHE, 1992, p.2)
 Assessment requires attention to outcomes but also an equally to the
experiences that lead to those outcomes.
Information about outcomes is of high importance; where students "end
up" matters greatly. But to improve outcomes, we need to know about student
experience along the way about the curricula, teaching, and kind of student
effort that lead to particular outcomes. Assessment can help us understand
which students learn best under what conditions; with such knowledge comes
the capacity to improve the whole of their learning (AAHE, 1992, p.2)
 Assessment works best when it is ongoing not episodic.
Assessment is a process whose power is cumulative. Though isolated,
"one-shot" assessment can be better than none, improvement is best fostered
when assessment entails a linked series of activities undertaken over time.
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This may mean tracking the process of individual students, or of cohorts of
students; it may mean collecting the same examples of student performance or
using the same instrument semester after semester. The point is to monitor
progress toward intended goals in a spirit of continuous improvement. Along
the way, the assessment process itself should be valuated and refined in light
of emerging insights (AAHE, 1992, p.2)
 Assessment fosters wider improvement when representatives from

worked at. On such campuses, the push to improve educational performance
is a visible and primary goal of leadership; improving the quality of
undergraduate education is central to the institution's planning, budgeting, and
personnel decisions. On such campuses, information about learning outcomes
are seen as an integral part of decision making, and avidly sought (AAHE,
1992, p.3)
 Through assessment, educators meet responsibilities to students and
to the public.
There is a compelling public stake in education. As educators, we have
a responsibility to the public’s that support or depend on us to provide
information about the ways in which our students meet goals and
expectations. But that responsibility goes beyond the reporting of such
information; our deeper obligation - to ourselves, our students, and society - is
to improve. Those to whom educators are accountable have a corresponding
obligation to support such attempts at improvement (AAHE, 1992, p.3)
II.3. An overview of portfolio
II.3.1. Teaching writing
Nunan (1991) affirms that there are various ways in writing teaching but the
two most commonly applied approaches at the present are product and
process, which will be thoroughly discussed in this part.
II.3.1.1. Product approach
Traditional approaches to the teaching of writing focus on the product
(Tran, 2009). Early in the literature review, product approach was described
as grammatical correctness-emphasized (Scarcella & Oxford, 1992). This can
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be achieved by keying to a model or following the guidance and control of the
teachers. Additionally, Nunan (1991) reviews that the product approach
emphasizes on grammar exercises and correctness, and focuses on the result
of the final writing paper of learners. Accordingly, Steele (2006) regards

evaluated according to how well it can fulfill the writer’s intentions (Reid,
1993). According to Steward (cited in Joe, 2006), writing purports at written
communication between the writer himself and his intended readers.
Therefore, writing is not the form but the idea that can be seen as the
determining factor. In process approach, the final product is only “a
secondary, derivative concern, whose form is a function of its content and
purpose” (Silva, 1990, p. 16). Writing is no longer regarded as a “linear and
fragmented procedure” (Hairston, 1982, p. 78) with the ultimate aim shot an
error free product. It is, instead, “a cyclical process during which writers can
move back and forth on a continuum, discovering, analyzing and synthesizing
ideas”
(Hughey et al. cited in Joe, 2006, p. 48).
As can be seen, by contrast to the product approach, the process
approach possesses the following features:
 The focal point is placed on the steps involved in drafting and
redrafting a piece of work. It is the development of successive drafts of a text.
Therefore, quality is emphasized rather than quantity.
 The tasks performed by learners involve producing, reflecting on,
discussing and reworking successive drafts of a text.
 Teachers assess students’ result through the whole process, not
through one final product.
(Nunan, 1999, p. 127)
Process approach has been receiving greater and greater appreciation
because of its outstanding advantages. Firstly, students are encouraged to
generate ideas freely, share their works with other and get feedback from
peers and teachers. This promotes collaborative group work as well as
enhancing motivation and positive attitudes. Secondly, they are offered
chances to explore a variety of systematic methods of discovery while they
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 Feedback: The teacher provides oral or written feedback on
students’ discussion or work.
 Curriculum-based measurement: This set of standardized
measures is used to determine student progress and performance.
 Self-assessment: Students reflect on and monitor their progress.
 Observation: The teacher observes and records a student’s level of
engagement, academic and/or affective behavior; develops a plan of action to
support that student; implements the plan; and continues to record
observations to determine its effectiveness.
 Writing portfolios: A growth writing portfolio can be used to
collect evidence of a student’s progress in developing writing skills.
(John & Jenkins, 2012)
Particularly, a body of copious evidence has proven that portfolio is
progressively becoming a promising classroom assessment.
II.3.3. Portfolio as an assessment tool
II.3.3.1. Defining portfolio
In writing assessment, the growing dissatisfaction with timed
impromptu tests and the development of writing instruction have made
portfolios more and more popular. The use of portfolios as a formative
assessment tool has attracted the attention of many researchers, teachers and
students. Most of the portfolio studies are of good quality since investigators
have generated different well-rounded viewpoints on this issue.
“A portfolio is a folder of a student’s work completed during a course
or program” (Coffin et al., 2003, p.88). Likewise, Reid points out that
“portfolio is a collection of texts produced over a defined period of time to the
specifications of a particular context” (1993, p.249).
Another definition to be considered is “Portfolios are a collection of
student papers usually chosen by the student that will then be graded or
assessed at the end of the course” (Clark, 2003). Similarly, Scott describes a

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 The selected works portfolio: (1) to show process and products of
work; (2) to evaluate and report on students’ progress; and (3) to show
students’ achievements with respect to specific curricular goals; and
 The passportfolio: (1) to show students’ achievements with respect
to specific curricular goals; (2) to accumulate “best work” for admission to
other institution or program; (3) to document achievement for alternative
credit; and (4) for employment purpose.
Unlike SPDU, Valencia and Place (1994) purpose another way of
classifying on the basis of the content of a portfolio:
 The showcase portfolio which includes the student’s best works;
 The evaluation portfolio which includes specified and marked
works;
 The documentation portfolio which includes student works
systematically kept by the teacher but not marked; and
 The process portfolio which contains on-going works and student
self-reflection.
Whatever the type is, it is worth noticing that within each of those
categories, there are dozens of variations. For a particular purpose, each
person may combine categories or invent one type on his own that is unique
in response to his needs.
II.3.3.3. Organizing portfolio content
Crockett (cited in Nunes, 2004) classifies portfolio contents into five
categories:
(1) found samples, or pieces done to fulfill class assignment;
(2) processed samples, which refers to students’ analyses and self-
samples of their edition of a work previously graded by the teacher;
(3) revisions or samples of student work that have been graded and
then revised, edited, and rewritten;