Washback Of CET-4 Listening Test On NON-English Majors

Washback studies the influences of tests on teaching and learning. Its related research in language testing emerges both at home and abroad since the advent of Alderson & Wall’s(1993) washback hypothesis, among which large-scale and high-stakes tests are more explored; general washback is more investigated than specific one; teachers are more investigated than students.Therefore, under the guidance of Hughes’ PPP(1989)model and Alderson & Wall’s( 1993) washback hypothesis, the present study attempts to explore washback of CET-4 listening on non-English majors. Two hundred and eleven sophomores were selected as the participants who received both questionnaire and interview investigation in terms of their perceptions towards CET-4 listening sub-tests as well as the influences of the test on their learning process and learning product. Furthermore, a comparison of the washback effects on students with different English levels was also made.Through both quantitative and qualitative analysis, findings revealed that CET-4 listening sub-tests generated more positive washback effects than negative ones, and it had the strongest influence on students’ learning sequence and the lowest one on learning degree. Besides, an indirect impact on students’ graduation and employment was more intense than the direct one on English skills learning. Furthermore, students with different English proficiency levels only performed differently on their perceptions towards the test and no disparity was found on learning process and learning product. Moreover, the present study suggests that teachers should frequently encourage students with lower proficiency levels to reduce their anxiety and share more learning resources on the internet with the students.