A Study On Washback Of The New CET-6 Listening Subtest On Students' Listening Learning

Large-scale and high-risk language tests surely exert profound effects on the process of language teaching and learning.Washback in language testing refers to the effects of language tests on language teaching and learning.However,the studies on the washback in College English testing in China are comparatively inadequate in the field of foreign language teaching and learning research.The majority of domestic researchers put their focus on CET-4 and on English teaching.It remains unknown as to what are the washback of CET-6 on English learning,especially the washback of the reformed CET-6 listening subtest on learners' listening learning.The innovated subtest employs listening materials that are more related to daily life compared to the previous tests,and aims to evaluate students' English listening competences.Based on domestic and foreign theoretical and empirical studies on washback,this study uses Bailey's Basic Model of Washback to explore the washback of the new CET-6 listening subtest on learners' listening learning quantitatively and qualitatively with diversified research methods involving questionnaires,interviews and the comparison of test scores.Through the quantitative and qualitative analyses of collected data,the research arrives at the following conclusions.Firstly,the newly-issued CET-6 listening subtest has exerted powerful effects on students' listening learning which are mainly reflected in the learners' objectives,contents,attitudes,approaches in their English listening learning,together with their preparation for the test.The majority of participants believe that the positive washback of the CET-6 listening subtest overweigh negative ones.The positive effects are chiefly found in the following aspects.During the preparation for the test,the examinees usually cover diverse listening materials and enhance daily practices in listening,which not only improves their English listening proficiency,but also helps them figure out the weak points in their listening comprehension and adjust their learning techniques accordingly,and the students develop a habit of learning English listening initiatively and autonomously which benefits their subsequent studies even after the test.Secondly,whether preparing for tests or not exerts influential effects on students' listening scores and different scores may motivate the aural learning to varying degrees.Thirdly,the three innovated listening types are warmly welcomed by the college students.As the very first set/type in the subtest,the long conversations,with everyday life topics and a suitable level of difficulty,can help participants adapt themselves quickly to the testing.The washback of the second set/type--the passages,and the third set/type--the lectures,can promote the learners to enlarge their vocabulary and improve their abilities in speaking,reading and writing.Of course,the detrimental impacts should not be neglected,including the increased difficulty of the subtest may dampen students and many students choose options out of assumption.The current research can help to maximize the positive effects of the subtest and to minimize the negative ones in hope of improving students' listening learning.