A Study On The Washback Effect Of The NMET On Senior English Teaching And Learning

Washback is the test impact on learning and teaching. Researchers’and educators’ recognition of the positive/negative effects of tests onteaching and learning activities goes back at least four decades. It is oneof the issues that have attracted professional test developers’ attention inthe1990s. Now, it has become a focus for both theoretical and empiricalinvestigation in the field of language testing and language teaching. Ithas been asserted that in a wide range of context, particularly in high–stakes context, test produce a powerful influence on testing andteaching.The goals of the study are:(i) to investigate the existence andnature of the impact of the NMET on senior English teaching andlearning in inner Mongolia with particular concern to the test preparationclass; and (ii) to document NMET-takers and their teacherswashback-related behavior and perceptions before the test；（iii）to revealthat the nature of negative backwash of the NMET on senior Englishtesting and learning and put forward to suggestion of tests.The National Matriculation English Test (NMET) is organized andadministered by the National English Testing Committee in China. To enter universities, test-takers compete with each other based on theirachievements in the test. Teachers of English are also evaluated onthe results of the test. So as a nation-wide college entrance examination,the NMET can be regarded as a high-takers test, resulting in a strongwashback effect on test-takers and English teaching and learning. Thehigher the stakes of the examinations the more it will influence whatgoes on in the classroom.This study conceptualizes washback based on the model proposedby Hughes(1993) and Bailey(1996), and Alderson and wall’s washbackHypothesis. A conceptual and methodological framework is thusproposed that identifies two main research foci for investigation: actionand perceptions of the teachers and students in the present study ofwashback. Mainly qualitative were the information and obtained fromobservation data of the NMET preparations classes, interviews andstructured-interviews with open ended questions permitting descriptionsof the NMET washback. Mainly qualitative are the data from thequestionnaires and statistical analysis.The results of study reveal that NMET has a substantial impact onmany aspects of teaching and classroom management. In preparationsfor the test, the teachers focus on developing the skills of reading andwriting, which were to be measured by the test; they also used simulatedtest papers, which are identical to the NMET in format. In addition, the classroom activities in the test preparations classes concentrated ondoing test papers and explanation of test items by the teachers resultingin very limited classroom interaction. In particular, the skills, thematerials and the activities that the teachers of the test preparationclasses used were tailored to helping the students pass the test. The studyalso reveals that the NMET has a strong washback effect on studentslanguage learning process.Overt washback was found to have influenced the language skillspracticed and materials used. The language skills and materials that thestudents chose to focus on were largely determined by what is containedin the test. Also, convert washback was found to be mainly reveals tostudents perceptions and attitudes towards language learning and whichvaried siginificantly before the test. Particularly, students motivation tolearn and preference of learning activities were greatly influenced duringthe test preparation and thus impacts their language learning outcomes.Despite some negative washback impact on teachers and learners, thewahback effect of the NMET as manifested in the test preparationclasses is seen to be largely beneficial to the teaching and learning ofsenior middle school. Lastly, the study puts forward how to maximizethe beneficial impact and minimized a number of suggestions thenegative impact of the NMET.