The washback effects of foreign language component of the university entrance examination on the teaching and learning context of English language groups in secondary education (a case study)

The notion that tests have a strong influence on teaching and learning is referred to as `washback? or `backwash?. The nature of washback is divided into two categories: negative and positive. Negative washback is commonly described as the phenomenon in which teachers drop curriculum and teach toward tests. However, the promoting of beneficial changes in language teaching programs through making changes in examinations is called positive washback. Assumptions that washback occurs automatically and inevitably have led to studies in various contexts of English teaching and learning. Some of these washback studies have focused on high- stakes examinations such as the National Examinations for Entrance into Universities. However, there is not much research carried out on the washback effect of tests within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in Turkey. This case study was designed to examine the washback effect(s) of the Foreign Language Examination (FLE), which is a component of the nationwide university entrance examination.In some countries, beneficial backwash is aimed at when a new or revised examination is introduced into the education system with the aim of improving teaching and learning. However, in Turkey, FLE component of the university entrance examination is not known to have such a purpose of improving the classroom educational practices; in essence, the main function of the FLE is to select prospective students that aim to study in a language-oriented department. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the nature of washback that retrospectively reflects into the teaching and learning behaviors of teachers and students alike in the foreign language classrooms of 10th and 11th grade high schools.The FLE is an examination which can rightly be called of the recognition type, and therefore productive skills of writing and speaking, as well as any aural comprehension are totally neglected and untested. When this is the case, it was doubtful if the teachers and students would be observed to be studying or practicing these communicative language skills in the language classrooms. Thirteen FLE teachers and 87 FLE students from six different high schools- Anatolian, Private and Super High Schools in Gaziantep- were included in the study as participants. In order to investigate the effects of the FLE on teaching and learning, (1) the classroom activities of 11th grade FLE groups were observed; (2) during the observation process, casual interviews were carried with teachers of those classrooms; (3) all FLE teachers and all 10th and 11th grade FLE students in the study were administered a questionnaire inquiring into the classroom practices of teachers and students and opinions on the FLE; and lastly, (4) post-observation interviews were held with the same teachers to clarify issues related to classroom observations and questionnaire results. As a difference, this study aspires to obtain data from the dual perspective of teachers and students to compare and contrast information obtained from both parties.The results indicated that there is a negative washback effect of the FLE on EFL teaching and learning in secondary schools. First of all, most of the teachers ignored the official curriculum which stated the learning objectives and educational gain of the 11th graders; therefore, teachers and students only held on the aim of success on the FLE. Secondly, all classroom materials, teaching and assessment techniques were totally governed by the FLE, rather than the more scientific and learned methodologies. Thirdly, most of the time and energy that is expected to go into the teaching and learning of English was spent on test-taking exercises and practices. Moreover, modes of instruction and variety of classroom discourse were reduced to test-oriented practices; in other words, use of methods and materials that are incompatible with standardized testing formats were excluded all together from these classrooms. Finally, students did not develop communicative skills, which should be the major goal of any language learning; hence, they merely adopted a memorization approach with reduced emphasis on critical thinking. The results of this research will have several implications for teachers, administrators, and the Ministry of Education in relation to the undesired effects of the FLE on high school English-oriented classrooms.Key words: Washback effect, Foreign Language Examination, English as a Foreign Language, teaching and learning.