A Study Of The Washback Of Rational Cloze In National Matriculation English Test On Senior High School Grammar Teaching And Learning

Based on some washback theories and researches on washback at home and abroad,this study is done by targeting at 17 teachers and 199 students in Fuchuan Senior High School of Hezhou Town in Guangxi and using questionnaire,observation and interview as research instruments.There are six dimensions in the teachers' questionnaire:perception on the Rational Cloze in NMET,influence on the perception of grammar teaching,influence on the contents of grammar teaching,influence on the materials of grammar teaching,influence on the methods of grammar teaching and influence on the evaluation standards of grammar teaching.There are five dimensions in the students' questionnaire:perception on the Rational Cloze in NMET,influence on the perception of grammar learning,influence on the contents of grammar learning,influence on the methods of grammar learning and influence on the self-assessment standards of grammar learning.The following are the research questions in this study:1.What are the perceptions of teachers on the Rational Cloze in NMET?2.What are the perceptions of students on the Rational Cloze in NMET?3.What aspects does the Rational Cloze in NMET affect in grammar teaching and learning?By utilizing SPSS19.0 to analyze the statistical data from questionnaire and by analyzing qualitative data from observation and interview,findings of the present study can be concluded into three aspects as follows.First of all,82.4 percent of teachers hold a positive attitude toward the Rational Cloze in NMET and its washback.It is generally agreed that the Rational Cloze in NMET has moderate quantity and complexity in testing students' comprehensive language applied competence.Secondly,students are inconsistent with the perception in the Rational Cloze in NMET.It is a pity that only 17.6 percent hold the positive attitude toward it,and most of the rest students lack confidence.Thirdly,in the process of grammar teaching at ordinary times,teachers carry on the teaching referring to the Leading Outline of NMET in National Version and teach students problem-solving skills.Under the influence of the Rational Cloze in NMET,although teachers have not changed their teaching mode and the evaluation standards,they have realized the necessity of the cultivation of students'discourse comprehension and comprehensive language applied competence,combining with the intensive reading,extracurricular reading and writing with grammar teaching.In order to meet teachers' requirements,students learn grammar in allusion to the Rational Cloze in NMET passively and they lack independence inquiry learning ability.In view of the theoretical analysis of tests and investigations,the author puts forward some suggestions to promote positive washback of the Rational Cloze in NMET.From teachers' angle:1.reviewing grammar teaching principles.2.strengthening the guidance of grammar learning strategies.3.reforming grammar teaching methods.From students' angle;1.avoiding falling into rote learning habits in grammar rules.2.knowing about words spelling to strengthen the basic knowledge.3.cultivating the ability to analyze sentence structures and components.4.improving the reading ability and increasing the discourse understanding ability training.