A study surveying the understanding of the washback effect of tests and its implications for teaching by ESL teachers in engineering colleges in Tamilnadu

Abstract

The main objective of this present study intended to identify the awareness of the term washback effect among the tertiary level English language teachers. And to track the factors that are responsible for creating a positive washback effect upon learners, teachers and its impact in class tests and to identify the washback effect in practice. This study is grounded on a hypothesis which states that a test does not merely inform the teacher and the learner of the success or otherwise of their teaching and learning in the classroom, it also has several implications for the direction that the teaching will proceed after the conduct of the test. An awareness and analysis of this is critical if a test is to exert a positive Washback on the teaching and consequently the learning that happens in the classroom. Followed by the hypothesis, the present study aims to emphasize the importance of the class test as an instance given to the teacher and the learner to assess the level of each one s success in their respective roles. The decisions that ESL teachers take based on the test and the effect of the decisions on the teaching that follows the test. The research study comprises of five chapters. The first chapter begins with explanation of the teaching and testing at the tertiary level where the need for English language testing is stressed. A general observation throughout the Indian context states that tests are given least importance rather than examination and tests are constructed and devised without the purpose of testing learners (with special reference to the technical education in India). The variation of testing in arts and science colleges versus engineering colleges are discussed along with the requirements for teacher education at the tertiary level. On the note of reassuring the aim and hypothesis of the present study, the focus is next shifted on the need of utilising class tests to observe the ongoing progress of teaching and learning. newline