The Backwash Effect Of Achievement Tests On English Teaching And Learning In SMS

With the reformation and innovation in English teaching and learning in Senior Middle School (SMS), various assessments on certain teaching method are being discussed by researchers and teachers. Whether conducting certain amount of achievement tests has positive or negative backwash effect on English teaching and learning in SMS has always been a topic for discussion and study in the assessment field.This paper is divided into four chapters. Chapter One is Introduction. In this chapter, the author introduced the research background and significance; She put forward the research question: whether a certain amount of achievement tests have positive backwash on English teaching and learning in SMS. She states the definition of achievement tests and examines the interrelationship between achievement testing and teaching and learning and the backwash effect on English teaching and learning; then she pointed out achievement tests play a less important part in SMS. Chapter Two is Literature Review. The author reviewed research situation from abroad to domestic. Chapter Three is Experimental Design. The author stated the research hypotheses and employed two classes (one as an experimental class and the other as a control class) from Grade One in PingLiang No. 2 Middle School to perform an empirical study. She taught the two classes with the same method except conducting 10 extra achievement tests in the Experimental Class, and then she conducted pretest, mid-test and posttest. Later she collected the experimental data, carried out some data analysis with various methods. Chapter Four is Discussion and Conclusion. In this chapter, she discussed the differences between the Experimental Class and the Control Class from four aspects and drew the following conclusion: achievement tests have positive backwash effect on English teaching and learning in SMS, that is to say, achievement tests can not only promote students to master their curriculum better but also to improve their whole English proficiency. Although this study has a few limitations, it showed us some implications as follows:1). If English teachers are willing to spend more time and energy performing certain amount of tests to check their teaching and learning, they will benefit a lot in improving their English proficiency...2). Conducting certain amount of achievements in teaching and learning is a good way to promote students to review and reinforce what they have learned. So achievement test is a good way of students' self-assessment.3). Conducting certain amount of achievement tests in teaching and learning is a good way to improve students' whole English proficiency.The author hopes that achievement tests can be effectively integrated into instructional process and serve as an effective teaching-learning aid.