A Study On The Washback Effect Of The TEM-8 Translation Test

Washback effect refers to the influence of language testing on teaching and learning.In recent years,many researchers at home and abroad have conducted studies on the washback effect of language testing,but there are few types of research on the Text for English Major Band 8(TEM-8).In particular,the research on the washback effect of the TEM-8 translation test is still relatively lacking.With a history of 30 years in China,the TEM-8 is mainly designed for senior English majors in colleges.In August 2015,the TEM-8 carried out a reform,in which the English to Chinese(E-C)translation test was abolished and the Chinese to English(C-E)translation test was retained.This paper mainly studies the washback effect of the TEM-8 translation test on English majors’ translation learning,and the strategies can be adopted to promote the positive washback effect of the TEM-8 translation test.In this study,139 English major students from a university in Tianjin were surveyed by questionnaire and 10 of them were interviewed.The purpose of this study is to explore the washback effect of the TEM-8 translation test on English majors’ translation learning.The research results show that the TEM-8 translation test has washback effects on English majors’ translation learning and the positive effect is greater than the negative one in general.It is mainly reflected in English majors’ translation preparation time,learning strategies,learning materials,and factors that affect students’ translation learning.Most English majors tend to improve their translation competence by doing translation exercises,reducing the training of the E-C translation test,and increasing the practice of the C-E translation test.Based on the results,this paper puts forward some suggestions on the washback effect of the TEM-8 translation test on English majors’ translation learning.For example,relevant departments should continue to improve the TEM-8 translation test and present the result of the translation test in the TEM-8 score report to help students understand their own translation shortcomings.Teachers should carry out diversified translation tasks in class to stimulate students’ enthusiasm for learning translation.Students should understand the translation test and continually raise their translation competence and level in translation exercises.