An Empirical Study Of CET Washback On Students' Extra-curricular English Learning Process

The CET is a standardized, criterion-related norm-referenced test administered by the National College English Testing Committee on behalf of the National Education Examination Authority, under the leadership of the Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education in China. The purpose of the CET is to examine the English proficiency of undergraduate students in China and exert positive washback on College English teaching and learning.Diary is employed as the research tool to explore the CET washback on students'extra-curricular English learning process by way of comparing the characteristics of students'learning process among Ss for CET-4, Ss for CET-6 and Ss having passed CET-6 from one sampled university, and between Ss for CET-4 from two sampled universities in terms of extra-curricular English learning activities, time invested in extra-curricular English learning and purposes of extra-curricular English learning.As for Ss for CET-4, Ss for CET-6 and Ss having passed CET-6 from one sampled university, Ss for CET-4 and Ss for CET-6 have a higher frequency than Ss having passed CET-6 in remembering English words and training five basic language skills. Ss for CET-4 and Ss for CET-6 devote much effort to remembering words, reading and listening, while writing and translation do not get much emphasis. With regard to how Ss for CET-4 and Ss for CET-6 go in for the learning activities, the effect of CET washback on Ss for CET-6 is much stronger than Ss for CET-4. Ss for CET-6 devote more time to preparing for CET-6 than Ss for CET-4 and their learning purpose is mainly for CET-6. As for Ss for CET-4 from two sampled universities, both Ss from SU1 and SU2 devote much effort to remembering English words, reading and listening, while writing and translation do not get much emphasis. The extra-curricular English learning activities of Ss from SU1 are diversified, while the activities of Ss from SU2 confine to remembering words and doing the past CET papers or mock papers. Ss from SU2 devote much more time to English learning after class than Ss from SU1 and their learning purpose is directly for preparing for CET-4. It seems that CET may be one of the main factors of these differences, however, there are many factors contributing to CET washback on students'extra-curricular English learning, like the use of the results of CET, students'familiarity with the CET, students'English proficiency, peer-influence, students'individual difference, teacher's perceptions of the CET and teacher's guidance of student's learning etc.This thesis enriches the washback study on students'learning process theoretically and methodologically, which not only provides reference of theory and methods for other washback studies of high-stakes tests, but also put forward meaningful implication and suggestions for the development of the CET and students'extra-curricular English learning.