Education Journal

| Peer-Reviewed |

Washback in Language Testing

Received: 25 December 2014    Accepted: 13 January 2015    Published: 23 January 2015
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The term Washback or Backwash has come to the prominence in the literature of English language teaching due to the contributions of Applied Linguistics in the field of ELT. It denotes to the influence which brims from the ongoing testing process on teaching and learning concerns. This term nowadays plays a critical role inside and outside the educational institutions in terms of positive or negative outcomes. Hence, the mismatch among the context, format, examination, and the instructional management would lead into derailing to achieve curriculum objectives, effectively. Such scenario will daunt English language learners to further their communicative competence to learn and affect on the stakeholders perspectives, forwardly. It is worth of note that, researchers in the field of ELT like Wall (1997) made a clear distinction between the micro-washback (the effects on learners and teachers inside the school) and the macro-washback (the impacts on individuals, practices, and policy makers). Consequently, this term has the capacity to create a positive or negative condition which in turn can enhance or obstacle language learning process or stakeholder’s strategic attitudes.

DOI 10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12
Published in Education Journal (Volume 4, Issue 1, January 2015)
Page(s) 5-8
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Impact, Stakeholders, Test-Takers, Scholastic Environment, Pedagogical Practice

References
[1] Alderson, J Charles & Banerjee Jayanti. (2001). Language Testing and Assessment. Camridge: Cambridge University Press.
[2] Bachman, L. and Palmer, A. (2010). Language Assessment in Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[3] Bachman, L. and Palmer, A. (2000). Language Assessment in Practice 3rd.ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[4] Brown, H. Douglas. (2004). Language Assessment. Longman: Pearson Education, Inc.
[5] Brown, J. Dean & Hudson, T. (2002). Criterion-refrenced Language Testing. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[6] Cheng, L., Watanabe, Y., & Curtis, A. (2004). Washback in Language Testing. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Association, Inc.
[7] Elder, C., Brown A., Grove N., Hill K., Iwashita N., Lumley T., McNamara T. & O'Loughlin, Ellis Simon and Tod Janet. (2015). Promoting Behavior for Learning in the Classroom. NY: Rutledge (Taylor & Francis Group).
[8] Fulcher, G. & Davidson, F. (2007). Language Testing and Assessment (1st.ed.). London: Routledge Press.
[9] Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for Language Teachers (2nd.ed.). UK: Cambridge University Press.
[10] Loumbourdi, L. (2014). The power and Impact of Standarised Tests. New York: PETER LANG Gnbh.
[11] O’Loughlin K. (1998). Studies in Language Testing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press..
[12] Ur, P. (1996). A course in Language Teaching (1st.ed.). UK: Cambridge University Press.
[13] Weir, Cyril, J. (2005). Language testing and Validation. UK: Palgrave Macmillan
Author Information
  • Ufuk University, Department of ELT, Ankara, Turkey

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Raad Thaidan. (2015). Washback in Language Testing. Education Journal, 4(1), 5-8. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Raad Thaidan. Washback in Language Testing. Educ. J. 2015, 4(1), 5-8. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Raad Thaidan. Washback in Language Testing. Educ J. 2015;4(1):5-8. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12,
      author = {Raad Thaidan},
      title = {Washback in Language Testing},
      journal = {Education Journal},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {5-8},
      doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20150401.12},
      abstract = {The term Washback or Backwash has come to the prominence in the literature of English language teaching due to the contributions of Applied Linguistics in the field of ELT. It denotes to the influence which brims from the ongoing testing process on teaching and learning concerns. This term nowadays plays a critical role inside and outside the educational institutions in terms of positive or negative outcomes. Hence, the mismatch among the context, format, examination, and the instructional management would lead into derailing to achieve curriculum objectives, effectively. Such scenario will daunt English language learners to further their communicative competence to learn and affect on the stakeholders perspectives, forwardly. It is worth of note that, researchers in the field of ELT like Wall (1997) made a clear distinction between the micro-washback (the effects on learners and teachers inside the school) and the macro-washback (the impacts on individuals, practices, and policy makers). Consequently, this term has the capacity to create a positive or negative condition which in turn can enhance or obstacle language learning process or stakeholder’s strategic attitudes.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Washback in Language Testing
    AU  - Raad Thaidan
    Y1  - 2015/01/23
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12
    T2  - Education Journal
    JF  - Education Journal
    JO  - Education Journal
    SP  - 5
    EP  - 8
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2619
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20150401.12
    AB  - The term Washback or Backwash has come to the prominence in the literature of English language teaching due to the contributions of Applied Linguistics in the field of ELT. It denotes to the influence which brims from the ongoing testing process on teaching and learning concerns. This term nowadays plays a critical role inside and outside the educational institutions in terms of positive or negative outcomes. Hence, the mismatch among the context, format, examination, and the instructional management would lead into derailing to achieve curriculum objectives, effectively. Such scenario will daunt English language learners to further their communicative competence to learn and affect on the stakeholders perspectives, forwardly. It is worth of note that, researchers in the field of ELT like Wall (1997) made a clear distinction between the micro-washback (the effects on learners and teachers inside the school) and the macro-washback (the impacts on individuals, practices, and policy makers). Consequently, this term has the capacity to create a positive or negative condition which in turn can enhance or obstacle language learning process or stakeholder’s strategic attitudes.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

  • Sections