The Washback Effect Of PRETCO On College English Teaching And Learning In Higher Vocational Colleges

Language test is an essential part of language teaching procedure. Language test plays animportant part in language teaching and learning. Washback usually refers to the influence oftests on both teaching and learning, which can be positive and negative. In recent decades,foreign researchers have conducted massive and deep empirical research on washback. Asincreasing significance of the influence of some large-scale examinations on teaching andsociety, the discussion on washback has constantly increased. So it is important to studywashback effect. In comparison to studies abroad, the studies of washback of test in China arelagging behind. Researchers in China have largely focused on National Matriculation EnglishTest (NMET), Test for English Major (TEM), College English Test (CET). But there was littleresearch on washback of Practical English Test for Colleges Level A/B (PRETCO), especiallyempirical study.Currently, PRETCO and CET are the two main English level tests for non-English majorsin higher vocational colleges. PRETCO is more suitable than CET. PRETCO aims at highervocational training objectives, which is to test students’ practical English abilities. It has a greatinfluence on higher vocational colleges in wide ranges. In recent years, its washback onteaching and learning has increasingly attracted researchers and educators. More and moreteachers believe that many aspects of English education are influenced by PRECTO. However,studies on washback of PRETCO are neither sufficient nor deep, especially empirical studies.Therefore, it is essential to conduct an empirical study on washback of PRETCO on highervocational English teaching.This study is a preliminary empirical investigation aiming to explore the washback ofPRETCO on higher vocational English teaching and learning. Referring to research onwashback abroad and at home in literature review, the author conducted a study with theconsideration of practical teaching conditions in China. Data was collected in Jiangsu Food&Pharmaceutical Science College from237non-English majors in grade2013and their29college English teachers by means of questionnaire survey, classroom observations and interviews. Based on the findings, the author discussed the washback of PRETCO and proposedsome suggestions intended to increase the positive washback as well as decrease its negativewashback.The findings from this study show that PRETCO indeed exerts washback effect on highervocational English teaching and learning, which can be divided into positive and negative. Thepositive washback involves three points: guiding for higher vocational English teaching andlearning; promoting the transform of teaching ideas; stimulating students’ learning motivationand improving learning autonomy. The negative aspects of PRETCO should not be neglected:strengthening the “learning to test” to a certain extent; hampering integrated development ofstudents’ abilities; students tend to suffer anxiety and pressure.According to the findings, the author put forwards some suggestions. Teachers shouldestablish multi-evaluation system and enhance students’ oral communicative ability. Forstudents, they should develop correct learning motivation and strengthen autonomous learning.And for education administration, they will try to make an innovation in contents and format oftest, and change the way of reporting test result.The thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter presents a general introduction to thestudy including background, significance and organization of the study. Chapter Two isliterature review about theoretical and empirical studies on washback abroad and at home. Itwill support theoretical basis for the whole study. In the third chapter, it describes the researchmethodology including research subjects, instruments of the study and procedures of datacollection. Chapter Four presents a detailed analysis about the results of questionnaires, classobservations and interviews. Based on the results, Chapter Five demonstrates the main findingson the washback of PRETCO on higher vocational college English teaching and learning. Thischapter also proposes the implication from the research. The last chapter makes a conclusion tothe study as well as points out the limitations of the study and the suggestions for further study.