The Washback effect of the Iranian universities entrance exam: teachers’ insights
The Entrance Exam of the Universities (EEU) in Iran is a multiple-choice high-stakes test which clearly affects its stakeholders. This effect, generally known as washback, can be considered negative or positive depending on the test and its intended use. The EEU is designed to screen the high sch...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit UKM
2012
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/4934/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/4934/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/4934/1/pp%2520609_628.pdf |
| Summary: | The Entrance Exam of the Universities (EEU) in Iran is a multiple-choice high-stakes test
which clearly affects its stakeholders. This effect, generally known as washback, can be
considered negative or positive depending on the test and its intended use. The EEU is
designed to screen the high school graduates for admission into higher education. This
study aimed to investigate the washback effect of this high-stakes test on the Iranian high
school English teachers. To achieve the aim of the study, a validated survey questionnaire
was administered to stratified random sample of 132 high school English teachers who
were teaching in the five main educational districts in the city of Isfahan, Iran. The data
analysis revealed that the EEU negatively and implicitly influences English teachers to
teach to the content and format of the test. Additionally, little attention was given to three
language skills of speaking, writing, and listening in the classroom as these skills are not
tested in the EEU. |
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