A Study Of Washback Effect Of NMET Continuation Task Test On Senior High School English Writing Teaching And Learning

Language testing is an important method to evaluate language teaching.The washback effect of testing has a great impact on teachers’ teaching and students’ learning in the teaching process.Whether the washback effect of testing promotes the teaching and learning is regarded as a primary consideration in language testing.Since the reform of the new National Matriculation Test in 2017,continuation task,as a new proposition form in the National Matriculation English Test（NMET）,has appeared in the vision of teachers and students.The change of examination requirements has had a great impact on all aspects of English writing teaching and learning in senior high schools.Based on washback theories put forward by language test experts Alderson ＆ Wall and Hughes,this study carries out the research in an ordinary high school in Benxi of Liaoning Province with 273 students and 19 English teachers as research subjects,by means of questionnaires,classroom observations and interviews.It is committed to studying the washback effect of NMET continuation task on English writing teaching and learning in senior high school.The purpose of this study is to explore: 1.What aspects of English writing teaching in senior high school are affected by continuation task test of NMET? Are they positive or negative effects? 2.What aspects of English writing learning in senior high school are affected by the continuation task test of NMET? Are they positive or negative effects? 3.What are the main factors causing the above washback?According to the present research,the results show that the washback effects of continuation task of NMET exist in English writing teaching and learning at varying degrees in senior high school,which is especially reflected in the aspects of writing attitudes,writing strategy,writing motivation,the choice of writing materials,time allotment of teaching and learning.But overall,the positive impacts are greater than the negative impacts.The positive impacts are: continuation task tests promote teacher’s teaching motivation and students’ learning motivation to a certain extent;continuation task tests promote the continuous improvement of teachers’ teaching strategy and students’ learning strategy in teaching process;also,continuation task tests promote students to consolidate their English language knowledge and application ability.While at the same time,there are also negative washback effects which are mainly reflected in the selection of teaching and learning materials and the time allotment.Then the factors causing the above washback effects are exam-oriented teaching behaviors;the lack of teachers’ and students’ cognition to the importance,familiarity and difficulty of continuation task test;the time limitation of continuation task teaching and learning.In addition.Based on the above results,there are some suggestions put forward for improving the continuation task teaching in senior high school and the continuation task test of NMET in this study.