In an age of growth in emphasis on testing and assessment, understanding and applying efficient classroom assessment is one of the most prominent tasks of language teachers. Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) - the main focus of the present study - refers to the range of skills and knowledge teachers need to cope with the new world of assessment (Stiggins, 1991). Adopting a mixed-method design, efforts are being made to investigate whether there is any significant difference between EFL teachers and subject-matter teachers in Iranian ESP context regarding LAL. The current study also seeks to explore whether years of teaching experience and academic degree play a role in differentiating two groups of teachers concerning LAL. To this end, almost 100 teachers from both groups are being surveyed using the Assessment Literacy Inventory which was developed by Mertler and Campbell (2005), designed to parallel the existing Standards for Teacher Competence in the Educational Assessment of Students, and made of 35 content-based items. For the purpose of data triangulation, almost 30 teachers selected based on convenience sampling are being interviewed. Both groups of teachers will be quantitatively and qualitatively compared and contrasted regarding the overall language assessment literacy and seven standards of assessment literacy, namely, Choosing Appropriate Assessment Methods; Developing Appropriate Assessment Methods; Administering, Scoring, and Interpreting the Results of Assessments; Using Assessment Results to Make Decisions; Developing Valid Grading Procedures; Communicating Assessment Results; and Recognizing Unethical or Illegal Practices.
