Keywords

headwind–tailwind asymmetry, language learning self-assessment, can-do statements research

Abstract

Talk to any cyclist or runner, and they can name instances when the universe seems to conspire against them with headwinds that hinder their progress. It is easy to identify and often blame external forces for causing us to fail. Conversely, we often attribute success to our own ability, being blissfully unaware of the tailwinds that assist us. This blindness to headwind/tailwind asymmetry (Davidai & Gilovich, 2016) in viewing one’s own performance is not limited solely to endurance athletes but can be found in other areas of self-assessment. Performance rarely occurs in a vacuum. There are typically external forces that nudge people toward success or failure. Novices, unaware of a tailwind, will often overestimate their ability, believing perhaps they are “quick learners” or “naturally talented.” Experts, on the other hand, who are accustomed to the winds that have helped and hindered them in the past, are likely to be more accurate in perceiving their ability level, and many even underestimate their level of skill. In this chapter, we review foreign and second language self-assessment and note theories in SLA that support its use. We review recent empirical studies on the use of Can-Do statements in self-assessment, and comment on future self-assessment research and theory.

Original Publication Citation

Cox, T., & Dewey, D. P. (2021). Measuring language development through self-assessment. In P. Winke & T. Brunfart (Eds.), Routledge handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Language Testing. London: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Second-Language-Acquisition-and-Language-Testing/Winke-Brunfaut/p/book/9781138490680