The Washback Effect Of CET Spoken English Test Upon College English Teaching

Being an aspect of the quality of impact of a language test, wahsback is usually referred to the effect of testing on teaching and learning. There are both positive and negative washback, about which a lot of researches have been conducted abroad from theory to practice. Yet in China, research of this kind is an infant. The present study is thus an attempt to probe into the washback effect of CET (National College English Test) Spoken English Test (CET-SET) on college English (CE) teaching and learning by adopting a descriptive research method, which is of innovative and positive significance.In order to investigate the washback effect of CET-SET, a descriptive research method is mainly adopted with data collected from more than 300 students and about 60 teachers from Shandong Normal University and several other universities, including Shandong University and Qufu Normal University.The National College English Test (CET), administered by the National College English Testing Committee in China, is an influential nationwide written test for non-English majors at the tertiary level. It has played an important role in promoting students learning English and their grasp of this language tool necessary in modern communication since its debut in 1987. In conjunction with CET, the CET Spoken English Tests (CET-SET), which was officially administered in the year of 2000, intends to help learners improve their all-round ability to use English and has undoubtedly facilitated the on-going educational reform of College English teaching in China.Since the adoption of open policy, exchange in politics, economy and culture between China and other countries has been strengthening. More and more people have realized written English alone is not sufficient for people to communicate in English in the real world. Spoken English is also needed. Yet with the negative washback effect of CET-4/6, CE teachers and learners have actually paid much attention to reading, some attention to writing, listening and translating but little to speaking. In order to change the CE teaching/learning situation, the National College English Testing Committee in China constructed and administered a new standardized examination called CET Spoken English Test (CET-SET). CET-SET, as an optional component of CET, is an instrument used to measure the abilities of Chinese college students to communicate in spoken English. The present study attempts to explore the possible washback of CET-SET since its officially administration in 2000 and how it works, as far as examiner and non-examiner teachers and qualified and unqualified learners are concerned. It explores the possible washback elicited by CET-SET on the average non-English-majored undergraduates through a survey.This dissertation consists of six chapters. Chapter One describes the general research background and the significance of the study. Chapter Two is a literature review of CET-SET and current washback research around the world, which helps confine and throw light on this research topic. Included in this review are also some related studies and literature: definitions of washback, empirical research on washback at home and abroad, CET-SET etc. Chapter Three outlines the research methodology used to investigate the research questions, including the objectives, the subjects and the procedures of the research. And the research questions will be proposed and to answer the research questions, the experiments will be designed. The fourth chapter deals with a detailed analysis of the findings generated from the questionnaires, the classroom observations and the interviews. In this chapter, the experiment results will be presented and the data will be analyzed and discussed. The focus is on the questionnaire survey, with classroom observations and interviews serving to complement the survey. Chapter Five focuses on the results and discussion of this research guided by the design. Based on the literature review and the results of questionnaire survey, classroom observations and interviews in previous chapters, this chapter involves the discussion and implications. Detailed analysis is given in various aspects. And some suggestions are put forward on how to take advantage of potential beneficial washback of CET-SET and on how to reduce its negative aspects in college English teaching and learning English. The conclusion turns out in the last chapter. It concludes the whole study as well as the need for further research in this field. The results suggest that CET-SET has produced stronger washback on examiner teachers and qualified learners than on non-examiner teachers and unqualified learners. CET-SET has produced strong washback on CE teachers and learners'attitudes toward CE teaching and learning and toward CE teaching and learning assessment. But it has produced basically weak washback on CE teachers and learners actions, i.e. what and how CE teachers and learners teach and learn.It is found that participants, both teachers and students, are clearly aware of the existence of CET-SET, but a only minority of them have the knowledge of what CET-SET involves. We can scarcely see washback of CET-SET take place in the light of low or little awareness. CET-SET has certain effect on undergraduates in virtue of its motivational value or even social value, or the predictive utility. CET-SET is valued by students mainly due to its utility. An overwhelming majority of students express positive attitudes toward CET-SET.But some undergraduates hold negative views for three reasons: First, CET-SET cannot attest in truth to their ability in English speaking. Second, even if they can speak English fluently, there is little chance for them to use it. Third, CET-SET is not in the university's requirement. On the other hand, most undergraduates have certain expectations for CET-SET. They believe CET-SET can promote their English learning at school to a certain extent or has some effect on learning. Little evidence shows that CET-SET has effects on classroom instructions and classroom activities, and hence on learners'learning strategies in class.Language testing serves language teaching. With the study and analysis, implications of CET-SET for CE teachers, CE learners and university authorities have been secured. The aim in oral class teaching is to develop students'communicative competence. To cultivate students'communicative competence, it is extremely necessary for teachers to create a communicative atmosphere for students to interact. Moreover, they should also create a productive environment in oral class interaction. The realization of communicative teaching process is through communicative activities. The most crucial class activities might be the group-work, pair-work and individual activities. In teaching, CE teachers should select communication-approached, updated, and authentic materials. In testing speaking, CE teachers need to measure CE learners'improvisation skills as well as micro-linguistic skills and routine ones.For CE learners, the aim of oral practice is to develop not only microlinguistic skills and routine skills but also improvisation skills. Therefore, it is advisable for CE learners to do more cooperative learning. However, they should not attach overmuch attention to the utility of CET-SET, because it runs counter to the nature and the purpose of the test.Both learner subjects and teacher subjects expressed hopes that their university authorities would offer spoken English course, employ native teachers and invest on CE teaching/learning so as to improve the conditions for teaching/learning spoken English.In order for the students to be truly skilled in English, CE teachers must try to give students various kinds of opportunities to communicate and make English class enjoyable to teach and fun to learn.