Language Assessment Practices in Nigerian TEFL Programmes: Evaluating Validity and Reliability in University Examinations

This study evaluates language assessment practices in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) programmes at selected Nigerian universities, focusing on the validity and reliability of examination instruments. Assessment quality in tertiary English language education is fundamental to the professional preparation of English language teachers, yet the technical adequacy of assessment tools used in Nigerian TEFL programmes has not been subjected to independent evaluation in recent scholarship. The study adopts a mixed-methods design combining document analysis of examination papers and marking schemes from six universities across the South West, South East, and North Central zones with interviews with fifteen TEFL lecturers. The theoretical framework draws on Bachman and Palmer's model of language assessment. Findings reveal significant variation in assessment design quality across institutions, with several programmes relying on outdated examination formats that test grammatical knowledge rather than communicative competence. Evidence of construct validity weaknesses is documented in the use of isolated sentence transformation tasks as proxies for integrated language skills. The study also identifies inconsistent marking criteria as a source of reliability risk. Recommendations include the adoption of performance-based assessment frameworks, standardised marker training, and the establishment of a peer review culture for examination development in Nigerian TEFL programmes. Keywords: language assessment, TEFL, validity, reliability, Nigerian universities.