The review of assessment items: proofreader, co-author and a pedagogical touch

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Keywords: Text revision; Educational materials; Assessment items.

According to Rocha (2012), since the earliest human writings, the intervention of the interlocutor, the reviewer, has been essential to propose changes and improve texts. Machado (2018) highlights that this professional, in addition to possessing a solid linguistic background and contextual understanding, must go beyond mere grammatical correction by analyzing the text in its entirety and adapting it to the context of production and reception. In the review of educational materials, especially assessment items, the reviewer works in partnership with the teacher-author, suggesting lexical, semantic, and structural improvements to facilitate understanding by the target audience: the students. These items must be clear, precise, free from ambiguities, and aligned with the content addressed in the classroom (Cardoso, 2015). The methodology adopted for this study consisted of analyzing the reviews conducted by reviewers at a private college located in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The investigation focused on the process of reviewing assessment items, identifying the interventions made and the interactions between the reviewers and the teacher-authors to understand how these practices contribute to ensuring that educational materials meet their pedagogical objectives. According to Diniz (2018), the interaction between the reviewer and the teacher-author is crucial to ensure that the educational material fulfills its pedagogical goals, making the review an indispensable step in the development of assessment items. This study seeks to demonstrate the relevance of reviewing in this context, highlighting its contribution to the teaching and learning process.