MASTER’S STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PEER ASSESSMENT IN ENHANCING SPEAKING PERFORMANCE AT UNIVERSITAS NEGERI SEMARANG

Abstract

Assessment plays an important role in language learning as it supports students’ development through formative practices. In EFL contexts, peer assessment has been widely used as a student-centred approach that engages learners in evaluating and providing feedback on their peers’ performance. Although previous studies have highlighted its potential benefits, issues related to students’ perceptions and challenges in its implementation, particularly in speaking contexts at the master level, remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate master students’ perceptions of peer assessment in enhancing speaking performance in an EFL context. This study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design involving thirty master’s students in an English Education program. The participants were selected using purposive sampling based on their experience in peer assessment activities. The data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire consisting of items measuring peer assessment and perceived speaking performance. The instrument was developed based on relevant theoretical frameworks and administered using a five-point scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentage) to describe students’ perceptions, and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the relationship between peer assessment and perceived speaking performance. All analyses were conducted using JASP software to ensure accuracy and reliability. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of effective peer assessment practices in EFL speaking classrooms.