A Study Of The Washback Effects Of CET-4 Listening Test On Independent College English Teaching And Learning

Washback refers to the influence of tests on teaching and learning. Since the 1990s, many theoretical and empirical studies on washback have been conducted in different areas. Washback is of great value as one of the indispensable parts of the validity study. Being a crucial test way, College English Test Band Four (abbreviated as CET-4 hereafter) has drawn much attention ever since the implementation in 1987 and great importance has been attached to it.To meet the needs of social development, CET-4 has also been increasingly reformed, and in 2004 it went through a thorough reform, which emphasized more on learners'development of listening and speaking competence apart from cultivating their overall language proficiency. In accordance with the reform, a trial test of the Internet-based CET-4 (abbreviated as IB CET-4 hereafter) was held in December, 2008. The weight of the listening-based test contents has been increased from 35 percent to almost 70 percent, which will be the most challenging part for the current college English listening teaching. The listening-centered requirement of IB CET-4 indicates that an overall adjustment and reform is urgently needed in terms of college English teaching ideas as well as teaching methods. English teaching in independent college is an important part of college English education, but students'listening is the biggest obstacle to their study, which limits the overall improvement of English teaching in independent college. Since CET-4 is an important criterion of teaching efficiency, the washback study of CET-4 listening test in independent college is urgently needed.This thesis aims to study the washback effect of CET-4 listening test on English teaching and learning in independent college. Specifically, it mainly explores the attitudes, processes and methods of the teaching and learning of listening. Three research instruments, including CET-4 score reports, questionnaires, and interviews have been used to gather information and altogether 25 teachers teaching in independent college and 146 students from an independent college have participated in the research. Findings from the investigation indicate that, according to the listening-and-speaking leading principle, the current situation of English listening teaching in independent college is far from satisfaction. What's more, the listening part is the main factor affecting students'CET-4 scores, which exerts washback effects on English teaching and learning in independent college.With the help of the investigation, suggestions are put forward to promote positive washback of CET-4 listening test on English teaching and learning in independent college. Meanwhile, the study provides tentative proposals for English listening teaching in independent college to meet the needs of the forthcoming IB CET-4 and listening and speaking, a priority in independent college English teaching.