“I wonder who I am when my assessment ideas are not respected”: a case-study inquiry into the role of institutional policies in English language teachers’ assessment identity

Although assessment is a significant part of teachers’ professional careers, there are few documented studies on language teachers’ assessment identity. This study drew on a case-study design and examined the role of the institutional context in Iranian English language teachers’ assessment identity. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and stimulated recall interviews. Data analyses indicated that local top-down policies highly constrained the teachers’ assessment identities, assessment emotions, and assessment agencies. These policies pressured the teachers to develop an assessment adaptability system, experience little professional support, and face tensions in constructing their identities as assessors. The findings are discussed in light of contextual exigencies that complicate developing an effective assessor identity in contexts where top-down educational policies substantially and constantly sanction teachers’ professional career pathways. Based on the findings, we provide implications for policymakers and teacher educators to help teachers develop identities that feature investment in positively contributing to educational accountability.