Navigating Motivation and Autonomy in Language Learning: Unveiling the Impact of Gradeless Assessment

Background: Traditional grading systems often undermine intrinsic motivation and learner autonomy in language education, prompting interest in alternatives like gradeless assessment. While descriptive feedback and self-correction show promise in enhancing learner development, their impact on specific motivational constructs, such as ideal and ought-to L2 selves, remains underexplored, particularly in non-Western EFL contexts. This study addresses this gap by examining how gradeless assessment influences motivation and autonomy, contributing to global debates on formative assessment practices. Purpose: This study examines the effects of a gradeless assessment approach, utilizing descriptive feedback and self-correction, compared to conventional grading, on the motivation (ideal and ought-to L2 selves) and autonomy of EFL learners. It aims to address the pedagogical challenge of designing assessments that foster sustained motivation and learner agency, particularly in diverse educational settings like Iran, to inform global language education practices. Method: Forty-one upper-intermediate EFL students, selected via the Quick Placement Test, were randomly assigned to an experimental (gradeless, n=21) or control (graded, n=20) group for a reading and writing course. Both groups received identical instruction and materials from the same instructor, differing only in assessment: the experimental group received written descriptive feedback with self-correction opportunities, while the control group received numerical grades. Pre- and post-test questionnaires assessed motivation and autonomy, with data analyzed using independent-sample t-tests. Results: The gradeless approach significantly enhanced ideal L2 self-motivation (t = -2.70, p < .05, η² = .15, 9.8% mean increase) and autonomy (t = -2.06, p < .05, η² = .15.1% mean increase), but reduced ought-to L2 self-motivation (t = 3.05, p < .01, η² = 6.2 % mean decrease), suggesting a shift toward ideal L2 self-motivation. Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of gradeless, feedback-oriented assessment to foster intrinsic motivation and autonomy in Iranian EFL contexts, suggesting a need to reconsider traditional grading in favor of formative strategies. However, due to the study’s cultural and contextual specificity, generalizability should be approached cautiously, warranting further research across diverse settings.