Yabancı dil açısından Temel Eğitimden Ortaöğretime Geçiş (TEOG) sınavına yönelik öğretmen ve öğrenci görüşleri

The teaching and learning process of English at secondary school education does not involve the acquisition of the receptive and productive skills (Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking) on their own. It is not possible to consider the teaching-learning cycle without assessment and testing. Therefore, it is a necessity to take the role of central examinations into consideration at the assessment phase. The purpose of the current study was to find out and compare teacher and student opinions on the English questions in Transition Exam from Basic Education to Secondary Education (TEOG) and to demonstrate the necessity, the importance, the positive and negative effects of central exams on English language teaching and learning process. In this descriptive study, 545 eighth grade students studying and 20 English language teachers working at six different middle shools in Antalya constitute the study group. The data proceeded in this study are collected through student questionnairesand a scale developed by the researcher and teacher interview forms. The collected data are analysed by utilizing appropiate analysis techniques. The findings of the study reveal that although the six state middle schools are closely located to each other, the schools show statistically significant differences compared to their TEOG success levels, the English course perceptions of students and the family attitudes. Another prevailing finding of the present study is about the anxiety and pressure that students and teachers feel about the English questions in the TEOG exams. The analysis results indicate that the English items in TEOG exams are not a significant predictor of students' listening, writing and speaking skills. Besides, teachers highlight the negative washback effect of central exams on their teaching program, material choices and assessment tools. Based on the results, it is recommended that the multiple-choice English items in TEOG should not be used as a language proficiency determiner for the stakeholders in the education-learning process. It is pointed out that more systematic studies and testing items might be carried out to encompass all language skills.