Washback and Impact

Alderson and Wall’s study, Does Washback Exist? in 1993 aims to investigate the nature of washback and the condition in which it operates as well as exploring the causes of the effects. The authors raised a number of good points whereby tests can be presumed to have beneficial washback in the event that it promotes motivation for students and teachers to place more emphasis on lessons. Alternatively, tests generally cause negative washback by inducing anxiety in students and teachers. Alderson and Wall ponders upon other factors that are often overlooked by researchers especially when it concerns specific competency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL. They criticized the lack of evidence in the existing literatures as well as the authenticity and the consequential validity of the test used in the researches. Hence, more extensive research with concrete evidence has to be done before the meaning of washback can be defined accurately. For example, direct observations of classrooms will provide a much more reliable data within the empirical study rather than to rely solely on the reports or claims of what happens during the teaching and learning sessions.

Alderson and Hamp-Lyons’s study, TOEFL preparation courses: a study of washback aims to explore and understand the effect of TOEFL on the content of classroom instruction or the methods teachers use. Although there are studies that involve questionnaires and tests to students and teachers, there is a lack of observation of the teaching process. Hence, this study provides actual classroom observational data in an EFL classroom to study the effects of washback. In their study, two teachers were observed when they taught in their TOEFL preparation and their non-TOEFL preparation classes. They wanted to understand teachers’ take on teaching these classes as well as how students perceive the preparation and taking the test. The study showed that TOEFL preparation classes does indeed have an effect on what and how teachers teach – it is much more rigid and teacher-centered compared to the non-TOEFL preparation class. However, it is observed that the varying teaching styles exhibited by the two teachers does contribute to the prominent difference of the nature of the classes. There is a need for wider surveys concerning test preparation activities and other instructions as well as curricular time and class size. The authors also suggested an addition to the Washback Hypothesis in regards to the amount and type of washback.

Lee’s study in 2004 aims to provide readers a viewpoint on why MUET seems to be not meeting its purpose of increasing the level of English proficiency amongst its takers, their reading competence in particular. The impact that MUET has lies on its status, the sociopolitical situation, the teachers’ perceptions of the test and the construct of the test. Although there is the awareness on the importance of English through a new English test, the SPM 1119 as well as the introduction of teaching Science and Mathematics in English, the Malaysian culture that place emphasis on the results rather than the process defeats the purpose of MUET which intends to increase students’ English proficiency. The author also challenges the validity of the test, pondering on the skill that is actually tested, instead of what it proclaims to test in regards to the choice of assessment, MCQs for instance. There are simply too much undue expectations on MUET, in the implications it brings to students – in terms of improvement in English language proficiency and in the way that reading is taught. Hence, the construct of reading of the test has to be revised in order for MUET to impact its takers as it aims to.

            Through the experience of taking examinations as a student, I personally noticed and was taught to the test across all subjects in school. Especially during the years where my cohort has to sit for a major national examination, lessons tend to be taught strictly to the syllabus and the scoring rubrics of the subject. Perhaps it is because teachers are expected to teach and guide students to perform well in the exams. As a result of that, students’ knowledge of the subjects are limited to the topics that will be tested. Memorization is also another negative effect of washback as students are able to regurgitate facts but are unable to apply their knowledge. This has been well proven recently when a simple question of why the car gets heated up under the hot sun was posed to my class. None of us were able to apply our Physics knowledge to explain the phenomenon even though we knew the concept of electromagneticwaves and the green house effect. Negative washback is noticed when a wrong focus of the administered test emerges, that is to achieve good scores rather than to fully understand the topics. With that mindset, holistic education can only be an ideal but unachievable concept within the education field.

The existence of the TOEFL preparation class alongside regular English classes is an example of negative washback as it shows that standardized language testing holds such high importance in certain cultures and groups of people. The culture of teaching to the test emerged as teachers are expected to guide students in achieving excellent scores in the test. The purpose of the test, which is to test an individual’s language proficiency, has been ignored in the name of scoring well in it. Hence, it is not abnormal for a person to have scored well in TOEFL but has low language competency and is unable to use English outside the examination and/or classroom context. However, when it comes to language acquisition, isn’t the application (to be able to converse) in the target language the main objective of learning a new language?

            The understanding of the concepts of washback and impact is important as a teacher because it creates awareness for us in the future as we design assessments. With that knowledge, only then can steps be taken to overcome and prevent the problem. In relation to our education system today, washback and the social impact of assessment will indeed exist. However, teachers can attempt to manage the negative effects of washback through thorough self-evaluation of conducting lessons and by avoiding teaching to the test. Besides that, teachers can opt to assess students by administering more formative assessments which aims to help students continue their learning process. In a nutshell, the objectives of a test should be sufficient in guiding a teacher’s consideration to the potential negative and positive washback as well as ways to manage them.

1.     Alderson, J.C. and Wall, D. 1993. Does washback exist? Applied Linguistics Vol 14:115-129

2.     Alderson, J.C. and Hamp-Lyons,L. 1996. TOEFL preparation courses: a study of washback. Language Testing 13 (3):280-297

3.     Lee, K.S. 2004. Exploring the connection between the testing of reading and literacy: the case of the MUET. GEMA online Journal of Language Studies 4(1)