A Study On The Washback Effect Of The Senior High School Entrance Exam On Junior English Teaching And Learning

Washback usually refers to the impact tests have on language teaching and learning, which can be positive or negative. In recent years, researchers in foreign countries have done a huge bulk of theoretical and empirical researches on the washback effects of tests; whereas in China, the domestic research on washback is of a comparatively recent scope in the field of language testing and very little research has been conducted. So far, the volume of attention has been mainly paid to CET (College English Test) and its washback while insufficient investigation into the washback specific to the Senior High School Entrance Exam has been theoretically and empirically carried out. The present study is an attempt to probe into the washback effect of the Senior High School Entrance Exam on junior English teaching and learning, which is of innovative and positive significance.As is known to all, the Senior High School Entrance Exam is one of the large-scale standardized foreign language tests, which has been established for over 20 years in China. Referring to the current literature on washback both at home and abroad, especially the research methods and the research models, the author carried out a preliminary study investigating the washback effect of the Senior High School Entrance Exam with the consideration of the teaching practice in Wuhan. Data was collected from English teachers and students in junior 3 through questionnaire survey, classroom observations and interviews, which are widely applied in washback studies abroad. Based on the findings from the study, the author intended to advance some suggestions accordingly in the hope of fully taking advantage of the positive washback of the Senior High School Entrance Exam while minimizing its negative washback.The findings arising from the present study indicate that the Senior High School Entrance Exam does exert influence on English teaching and learning, which is mainly demonstrated on the part of students and of English teachers in junior middle schools. From the perspective of the students, the exam gives a comparatively comprehensive measure of students' English study at the foundation stage and to some degree examines students' communicative competence. Besides, it produces certain stimuli and motivation in students' English learning, thereby establishing a solid foundation for their English study at the advanced stage. As for the teachers, the exam urges the teachers to enrich the teaching contents, innovate the teaching methods and help the students further develop their comprehensive competence in English in accordance with the teaching syllabus. But the negative aspects of its washback should not be ignored. For the students, the exam exerts certain stress and anxiety on them, which leads some of them to "learn to the test". Students are inclined to lose interest in their English study and tend to overlook the importance of improving their overall language competence. For the teachers, the exam to an extent perturbs the teaching pace, restricts their free choice of appropriate teaching materials or teaching methods and thus further impedes the positive washback of the exam into full play.This thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter One presents a brief introduction to the whole study. Chapte Two is a literature review of current washback research around the world, which helps confine and throw light on this research topic. Included in this review are studies and literature related to: definitions of washback, empirical research on washback at home and abroad, etc. Chapter Three outlines the research methodology used to investigate the research questions, including the objectives, the subjects and the procedures of the research. Chapter Four is a detailed account and analysis of the findings generated from the questionnaires, the classroom observations and the interviews, it also discusses several issues based on the results from the study. Chapter Five puts forward some suggestions on how to take advantage of potential beneficial washback of the Senior High School Entrance Exam and reduce its negative washback in the hope that such a study will make some contribution to promoting the fundamental teaching of English and to helping the students improve their comprehensive competence in English. Chapter Six draws the conclusion of the value of the present study in the Senior High School Entrance Exam and points out the limitations of the thesis and the need for further research in this field for the sake of a better understanding of the washback of English Test of Senior High School Entrance Examinations.