Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers

This study investigated the effect of using open-book assessment (OBA) as a pedagogical tool to enhance the French grammatical skills of pre-service teachers. Traditional grammar instruction often promotes rote memorization, and this research explored OBA as a means to foster deeper, application-oriented learning. Employing a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design, 60 pre-service French teachers were randomly assigned to either an experimental group ( n  = 30), which received weekly formative open-book quizzes, or a control group ( n  = 30), which received traditional closed-book quizzes over a 10-week intervention. Data were collected using a pre-test/post-test on grammatical skills, a Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS), and semi-structured interviews with the experimental group. Quantitative results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in grammatical skills (mean gain = + 7.00) compared to the control group (mean gain = + 3.05, p  < .001). Furthermore, survey data indicated overwhelmingly positive perceptions, highlighting a shift toward application ( M  = 4.75), a significant reduction in anxiety ( M  = 4.55), and a strong intention to use OBA in their future practice ( M  = 4.65). Qualitative findings from thematic analysis of the interviews corroborated these results, yielding four major themes: (1) a cognitive shift from rote recall to active problem-solving; (2) a positive affective experience marked by reduced anxiety and increased confidence; (3) the development of organized and strategic learning approaches; and (4) a profound transformation of future pedagogical beliefs. The integrated findings suggest that OBA is a highly effective pedagogical strategy that fosters deeper learning by creating a more positive, engaging, and intellectually demanding learning environment. The study concludes that OBA not only enhances L2 grammatical competence but also serves as a powerful model of formative assessment, significantly shaping the professional identity and future practice of pre-service teachers.