ABSTRACT
Authentic assessment is an important approach in English language teaching
because it enables students to demonstrate their knowledge and language skills
through meaningful real-life tasks. This study aimed to explore the teacher's
perceptions of authentic assessment, describe its implementation in speaking
assessment, and identify the challenges encountered in its implementation at a
vocational high school. This study employed a qualitative case study design
involving one English teacher at a vocational high school in Palembang. Data
were collected through semi-structured interviews, non-participant classroom
observations, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using the
interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014), while NVivo 12 Plus
was used to organize and code the data. The findings revealed that the teacher
perceived authentic assessment as an approach that evaluates students' ability to
apply language skills in meaningful contexts. It was mainly implemented
through presentations and role-play activities supported by rubrics, feedback,
and peer assessment. However, its implementation was constrained by limited
instructional time, large class sizes, and students' lack of confidence. To address
these challenges, the teacher used structured group work, differentiated roles,
and staged preparation. This study concludes that authentic assessment supports
meaningful speaking assessment in vocational EFL classrooms, although its
implementation requires teachers to adapt to practical classroom constraints.
Keywords: authentic assessment, teacher perception, authentic assessment
implementation, speaking assessment, vocational EFL classroom.