Teaching, testing and backwash

Greek ELTin

Please God may I not fail

Please God may I get over 60%

Please God may I get a high place

Please God may all those likely to beat me

Get killed in road accidents

And

May they die roaring

The influence of testing on content and methodology

Measurement-driven instruction

…or how Cordelia failed the speaking test:

To make sure it’s a fair test,

he gives them all the same task…

Examiner: Which of you shall we say doth love us most?That we our largest bounty may extend…

Examiner (to Candidate 3): What can you say to drawA third more opulent than your sisters? Speak

(Candidate 1 answers and scores B +)

(Candidate 2 answers and scores B +)

Candidate 3: Nothing

Examiner: Nothing will come of nothing

Candidate: I cannot heave my heart into my mouth

Examiner: Mend your speech a littleLest it may mar your fortunes

Candidate 3 (Cordelia) fails the test.

He gives them all the same task

Lear’s Test

Features:

Lear’s Test

Discrimination

objectivity

rewards

punishments

classification

Written documentation (the map)

Numbers and science

competition

authority

formality,ritualMeasurement-driven

What is backwash?‘the relationship between teaching and testing’

What is backwash?

‘the direct or indirect effect of examinations on teaching methods’

What is backwash?We may refer to ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ backwash’

What is backwash?

‘if a test is regarded as important, then preparation for it can come to dominateall teaching and learning activities’

(Hughes, 1989:1)

What is backwash?‘teachers will teach to a test’

What is backwash?Before a test has any impact on classroom practice

it is mediated by factors such as:

* the place of examinations in particular societies

* the teacher’s competence

* The resources available within the school system

(Alderson and Wall, 1993)

and

the market

What is backwash?A test ‘might encourage the use of beneficialteaching-learning processes’

(Pearson, 1988:107)

‘I had to train students to scan a text and skim as well’

Has the introduction of the new FCE affected the way you teach? If so, how?

‘Only in the type of material used, which is more interesting’

‘The old exam was too mechanical; the new one is more creative’

‘Lessons are more functional; there’s more extended discourse and oral linking’

‘We do more work on the structure of texts’

‘More functional use of written language’

‘We do more writing’

‘We do more on register – both on recognising and applying it’

‘Students enjoy doing the editing part – they compete while looking for mistakes’

‘Students find listening/reading skills much more difficult – for example, listening and note-taking, text organisation and cohesion’

‘There’s more interaction in speaking’

‘The emphasis is more on communication and interaction’

‘More fun – there are some real conversations’

‘We have to concentrate our teaching on pair work basically’

‘Students feel happy – more comfortable that they share an activity’

What is backwash?Backwash can be either overt or covert

Overt: ‘the use of past papers and test-like material and test techniques’

Covert: ‘teachers treat the textbook and all materiallike a testbook

and behave as if they were testingrather than teaching’

Does washback or impact exist?

Research into backwash:

Washback in language testing – Cheng and Watanabe, 2004

The Power of Tests – Elana Shohamy, 2001

‘Washback effects of FCE Oral’ – MA dissertation – Stergiopoulou, 2002

Investigating the FCE Speaking Test

Non-exam classes:‘the activities used with this group were designed according to UCLES criteria’

Exam-classes:

‘The activities used were test-like and reflected the UCLES criteria’

(Stergiopoulou, 2002, MA Dissertation)

Washback positive negative

content Congruence between test and lesson (both groups)Varied Material (non-exam group)

Extensive use of practise tests(with the exam group)

method PairworkNon-test like activities (non-exam group)Peer correction (both groups)

Focus on the testTeaching standard expressionsTalking about the test

What do we mean by ‘good teaching’ ?

Vygotsky:

The buds and flowers of learning (ZPD)

Language= socio-cultural

Co-operation, co-construction, scaffolding

I've done the same in my classes (I mean the collaborationbetween "roses" and "buds"). I thought it wasn't right. Becausethat way I helped "the buds", but it was unfair to "the roses".AndI`ve always had some troubles assessing "the buds`" tests. As youknow "buds" are sometimes a little bit cheeky. When they worktogether with "a rose" they want the same mark as his (orhers).It's very difficult for me to deal with that problem. I hateassessment. For me it's the most unpleasant part of teachers' work.

Email, Bulgarian teacher, May 2006

I'm aware that there are a few "elephants" among my students and it'simpossible for them "to climb the tree". I don't want to make them feeldispirited. I've always tried to make them feel important. For example, I give such student a dictionary while the others are doing a written work. When a pupil has a problem with an unfamiliar word he asks "theelephant" to check it in the dictionary. He does his best, because he feelsimportant and useful.

Email, Bulgarian teacher, May 2006

The good language learner

is

A risk-taker

A good guesser

Not afraid of error

A user of the language

Has a positive attitudeto the language

Testing Teaching

failure success

weakness strength

Terror error

solemnity humour

cheating sharing

competition co-operation

isolation solidarity

negative attitude positive attitude

fragments whole

culture-bound mother-other culture

learner user

marks progress

Testing Teaching

One time for all Thinking time

Correct Answer Multiple answers

Them and us T-S-S rapport

Context-less contextualised

product process

No, this testing will ratherMultitudinous teaching incarnadineMaking the green one red

Macbeth

Covert backwash

Classroom management

•body language•eye contact•voice

Management of

•time•space

Why is backwash important?

Because of backwash:

* New methods fail to take root

* Teachers trapped in an examination cycle

* Communicative methodologies, humanism, TBL etc are considered impractical: ‘we don’t have time’

* The market demands quantifiable results = exam results

The causes:

* The market: competition

* The ‘non-native’ / L2 user

* Tests are discipline-friendly

* Tests provide extrinsic motivation

* Tests lend authority

‘a dog’s obeyed in office’

The manic, manichean world of testing

Tests must ‘discriminate’

Tests would be regarded as inefficientif all candidates enjoyed equal success

But they encourage a view of students as ‘good’ or ‘bad’; grade A or grade B or C

Fatalism: some students are natural learners, others failures

This is administratively, socially, economically useful

The backwash effect: good teachers, bad teachers, a survey

The headmaster used to examine us everyday. He used to ask Cleopatra first and when it was my turn he used to ask me: ‘Will you be able to perform as excellently as Cleopatra did?’I don’t remember or not whether I was good after that remark but I hated him so much I didn’t want to go to school anymore’.

Backwash: a way forward

Even though he was limited by the situation (we had to pass our exams) he tried to help us in a more general way. He developed our general awareness, our way of thinking and he helped us view the word (world?)with a critical eye. As he told us, he was working on two levels: one was strictly the Exam, while the other was our general education’

Exam PreparationCircular writing

•Aim: to provide practice in writing in a supporting atmosphere; to make the most of the diverse levels in any class

•Procedure : Writing brainstorm

•Teacher divides students up into 1s, 2s and 3s. They each brainstorm one of the following essay titles:

Title 1: School Subjects

Topics Vocabulary Tenses

Title 2: Report (e.g. Places of Interest in My Town)

Topics Vocabulary Tenses

Title 3: Story

Topics Vocabulary Tenses

WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY :

• it helps you find out how the others are thinking

• I find it good practice when we have to find the mistakes.

• It is interesting to continue the topic and it activates your imagination

•you have the chance to shareideas so you can continue more easily•it gives you the chance to thinkand connect different things from ideas that aren’t yours; •It helps you think quickly•it makes you think of scenarios different from those you thought at first.

•I like the unexpected writing of my partners.

The Examiner’s Hat

Learner input

Personalisation

Context

Reducing anxiety

Co-operation

.5. Paul is employed by Sony, isn’t he?

works

1. Nobody asked me for my opinion of the ideathoughtNobody asked me______________ the idea

2. This is the best music I’ve ever heard.betterI’ve______________________this.

3. She was the only one who didn’t enjoy the film.apartEverybody_________________ her.

4. Elizabeth had difficulty accepting the situationdifficult

Elizabeth__________________the situation

Paul______________________he?

Tests are but walking shadows, poor words

That strut and fret their hour upon the page

And then are heard no more

Tests are a tale told by an idiot

Full of sound but no fury

Signifying nothing

.5. Luke is employed by the British Council, isn’t he?

works

1. Marialena was the only one who didn’t enjoy the filmapartEverybody __________________ Marialena

2. The Kalamaria council are going to demolish that old building.pulledThat old building__________down by the Kalamaria council

3. Leandros is going to get angry in a minute.temperLeandros is going___________in a minute

4. The trip to Kozani was more interesting than Stefanos expectedas

The trip to Kozani__________Stefanos had expected

Luke______________________he?

Writing paper in the FCE

The Examiners say:

In some part 2 questions students should be encouraged to use their imagination

(Marks will be given for): a lively tone, an early controversial statement

..taking into account the target readerand the reason for writing

From fragments to whole texts

He went to a travel agent’s to book a holiday and he asked to travel by boat. But they told him that if he wanted to get to his destination he would have travel by air. He took the decision totravel by air. The trip was cheaper than he had expected. He arrived at his destination and he stayed in a luxury hotel.

Composition, Greek FCE Student

I like to go with my friends to cafeteria where we discuss our fillings. Also sometimes we go cinema. On Saturday, we went for to see a film which it is called Jackal with Bruce Willis and we all enjoyed the film apart from Lena. After we went to eat something.

Composition, Greek FCE Student - uncorrected

Spot the fragment!

When I was a child I sat an exam.The test was so simple There was no way I could fail.Q1. Describe the taste of the moon.It tastes like Creation I wrote,it has the flavour of starlight.Q2. What colour is Love?Love is the colour of the water a man lost in the desert finds, I wrote.Q3. Why do snowflakes melt?I wrote, they melt because they fall onto the warm tongue of God.There were other questions.They were as simple.I described the grief of Adam when he was expelled from Eden.I wrote down the exact weight of an elephant's dream.Yet today, many years later,For my living I sweep the streets or clean out the toilets of the fat hotels.Why? Because I constantly failed my exams.Why? Well, let me set a test.Q1. How large is a child's imagination?Q2. How shallow is the soul of the Minister for Exams?

The Minister For Exams - Brian Patten

References

Cheng, L. and Y. Watanabe, 2004. Washback in Language Testing. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Shohamy, E. 2001. The Power of Tests. Harlow: Pearson.

Stergipoulou, E. 2002. ‘Investigating Washback Effects of the Cambridge First Certificate Oral Paper on the Teaching of Speaking: A case study in Greece’. MA Dissertation, University of Bristol.

Prodromou, L. 1995. ‘The Backwash Effect: testing and teaching’. ELT Journal, 49/1:13-25.

Alderson, C. and D.Wall. 1993. ‘Does washback exist?’ Applied Linguistics, 14/2:115-129.

Pearson, I. 1988. ‘Tests as levers for change’. In: Chamberlain, D and Baumgardner, R. (eds)ESP in the Classroom. ELT Documents 128: London: Modern English Publications.

Hughes, A. 1988. ‘Introducing a needs-based test of English language proficiency into an Englishmedium University in Turkey’. In: Hughes, A. (ed) Testing English for University Study.

ELT Documents, 127. London: Modern English publications and the British Council.

lukep@otenet.gr