Speakers
Description
Authentic assessment (AA) and differentiated instruction (DI) are increasingly invoked as complementary avenues for fostering equity and learner agency in university English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) programmes. This systematic review synthesises a decade of scholarship to illuminate convergences and divergences between the two constructs. Analysis reveals that AA studies tend to privilege qualitative, portfolio- and project-based designs foregrounding real-world task validity, whereas DI research more commonly employs quasi-experimental paradigms centred on tiered activities and adaptive grouping. Across both strands, consistent benefits emerge: heightened learner autonomy, richer engagement, and mitigation of proficiency gaps. Yet the literature remains markedly partitioned; few investigations operationalise AA within differentiated frameworks capable of addressing heterogeneous learner needs. The review therefore argues for integrative research agendas that embed performance-based assessments in adaptive task architectures, and it offers design principles to guide such endeavours. By bridging AA and DI, scholars can advance inclusive, authenticity-rich pedagogies aligned with contemporary EFL university contexts.
Biography
Kim Hong Tran is a lecturer at the Faculty of English Language, Ho Chi Minh University of Technology (HUTECH), and currently pursuing a PhD in English Language Education. With a strong commitment to advancing educational equity and effectiveness, Kim Hong's research interests lie in inclusive education, language assessments, and educational psychology. Her work explores how differentiated instruction, culturally responsive pedagogy, and assessment strategies can be integrated to support diverse learners in English language classrooms. She actively contributes to academic workshops, curriculum development initiatives, and collaborative research projects aimed at improving the quality of English language education in Vietnam. With a vision of building more inclusive learning environments, she strives to bridge the gap between theory and practice in English language teaching and assessment.
