The impact of institutional tests on teachers' teaching methodologies

The aims of this study were twofold. The primary aim was to investigate the washback effects of institutional progress tests on teachers' teaching methodologies. The secondary aim of the study was to explore the role of teachers' pedagogical beliefs and their perceptions of the tests in the mediation of washback. Taking into account the critical role of contextual factors in the generation of washback, a qualitative multiple case study approach was adopted. The study was conducted in the English preparatory school of a university in Turkey, and the participants consisted of 3 teachers working at the given institution. Data were collected in three interrelated stages using the repertory grid technique, classroom observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The repertory grid data were analyzed using cluster analysis. The classroom observation and interview data were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed that the tests exerted washback effects on the teachers' teaching methodologies as well as on teaching content. However, it was found that the tests themselves were not the primary cause of washback. Instead, the results indicated that washback occurred as a result of a complex interplay between the teachers' perceptions of the tests, contextual factors and the teachers' pedagogical beliefs.