An Investigation Of Washback Effect Of The CET-Spoken English Test 4 On Spoken English Learning And Teaching In Southwest University

Spoken English Test of College English Test (CET-SET), implemented in 1999, is introduced with the intention of giving impetus to College English teaching for non-English-majors and prompting undergraduates to attach great importance to spoken English and develop their oral communicative ability. Jin Yan et al. declare that CET-SET exerts positive washback on language teaching and learning from various aspects. Although some researches are carried out concerning the CET-SET, a few of them investigate the washback effect of CET-SET from the perspective of tester's intention. Qi Luxia (2004) points out without adequate knowledge about the specific intentions of testers and whether these intentions have been realized in the classroom, it would be difficult to determine whether tests are effective tools for implementing changes in education and whether the practice of launching top-down reform in education has attained its goal through the power of test. The washback effect varies with the context, and after eight-year implementation of the test, changes may happen. The present research tries to study whether the CET-SET 4 has achieved its intended washback in Southwest University. A multi-method design is contrived, including interview, classroom observation, questionnaire and SPSS data analysis.Corresponding to Jin Yan's study, the operationally defined "intention" in the present study refers to: Student's awareness of CET-SET 4; incentives to take the test; attitudes to the test and perception of its importance; comments from subjects on classroom teaching and classroom participation associated with spoken English; impact on students' spoken English learning strategies. The survey study is carried out from the above-mentioned five perspectives and the results show that: Students in SWU are quite aware of the existence of CET-SET 4, but have little knowledge of the test format, content and rating scales. It is valued by students mainly due to its utility. With regard to attitude toward CET-SET 4, psychologically, students and teachers hold a positive attitude toward it, they have some expectations to the test, but students do not think this test exerts great influence on them. Behaviorally, the performance of most students spending a little time on spoken English practice indicates that this test does not exert any influence on their spoken English learning because of the lack of external driving power to push students attach great importance to the spoken English. Thus, students' and teachers' positive attitude toward CET-SET 4 is the spoken English that really counts but not the test. In terms of classroom practice, CET-SET 4 exerts positive influence on the teaching content in that the spoken English course for non-English-majors is included in the College English curriculum design in SWU. However, there is no washback effect on students' classroom participation and the way how teachers teach. As for the spoken English learning strategy, this test just exerts positive washback effect on the minority of qualified students whereas overwhelming majority of students are deprived the chance to take the test, CET-SET 4 does not exert any washback effect on those unqualified students. All the results indicate that CET-SET 4 fails to fulfill the intended washback effect in SWU. The failure of the attainment of intended washback effect is attributed mainly to the selective function of CET 4 which reduces CET-SET 4 to low-stake test. Therefore it fails to achieve the directing function of CET-SET 4 which is consistent with the College English Curriculum Requirements (for trial implementation) (2004). In order to strengthen the intended washback effect of CET-SET 4, based on the Shohamy's critical language testing theory (2001) which considers testing from democratic perspective, the study proposes a university-based spoken English test in SWU.The thesis is constituted of six chapters: 1) Introduction; 2) Literature review; 3) Research design; 4) Results and Discussions; 5) Implications; 6) Conclusion.Chapter one provides the study background, need of the study, the objective and significance of the study.Chapter two provides the empirical studies in the washback literature and the theoretical frameworks for investigation which the present study is based on and presents the conceptual framework of this study.Chapter three presents detailed description of the research design which constitutes research question, subject selection and instrument employed. Then, procedure of the research is included.Chapter four focuses on the results and discussions of this research. The tables processed by the computer software program and data description and discussion coupled with them are included. The research questions are answered.Chapter five attaches attention to the implication and suggestion. Based on Shohamy's critical language testing and collaborative approach to assessment, a university-based spoken English test, as a supplement of CET-SET 4, is proposed. Then some suggestions to CET-SET 4 in order for its improvement are followed.Chapter six summarizes what has been discussed and found in the preceding chapters and presents the limitations of this study and suggestions for further research in the issues of intended washback and interrelations between language teaching and testing.