A Pilot Study of the Washback Effect of the Incorporation of English Listening Test in the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students
Author: Fen-Lan Tseng(Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University), Yu-Xuan You(Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing, National Taiwan Normal University), I-Fan Tsai(Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing, National Taiwan Normal University), Po-Hsi Chen(Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University)
Vol.&No.：Vol. 64, No.2
Date：June 2019
Pages：219-252
DOI：10.6209/JORIES.201906_64(2).0008
Abstract：
This study investigates the effects of the incorporation of English listening test in the comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students (CAP henceforth) on the teaching in junior high school classrooms. Attention is also given to the teaching strategies or methods that the interviewed teachers believe to help improve students’ listening comprehension. Through questionnaires, this study explores the differences of high school English teachers’ overall approaches to teaching, and further compares their teaching strategies and assessment approaches in the period of the basic competence test for junior high school students with those in the period of the CAP. The main findings are as follows: First, teachers employed textbooks as the main source for instruction for both periods, with more additional extracurricular and electronic materials in the period of CAP. Secondly, for both periods, teachers spent most time in the instruction of vocabulary, grammar, and reading; however, the overall time allocation for the teaching of reading, listening, and speaking is increased with the incorporation of the listening comprehension test. Thirdly, listening comprehension assessment was included as part of the regular midterms and finals more than 10% in the period of CAP. The findings of our study indicated there was positive washback effect with the incorporation of English listening test. The above findings are further complemented with the interviews with the high school English teachers of the 14 selected schools whose students’ scores for the CAP English listening test have significantly improved from 2015 to 2017. By presenting several common teaching strategies that are shared by the interviewed teachers of the sampled schools, this study offers some suggestions for effective approaches to teaching English listening.
Keywords：English listening test of the comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students, teaching strategies, washback effect
《Full Text》
References：
- 12年國教 國中會考加考英聽（2012，4月20日）。蘋果日報。取自https://tw.appledaily.com/ headline/daily/20120420/34173011【There will be English listening tests of the comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students. (2012, April 20). Apple Daily. Retrieved from https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20120420/34173011】
- 江禹嬋（2012，4月20日）。國中會考增非選、英聽作文都要考。大紀元報。取自http://www. epochtimes.com.tw/n26360/國中會考增非選──英聽作文都要考.html【Chiang, Y.-C. (2012, April 20). There will be open-ended questions and English listening and writing tests of the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students. Epoch Times. Retrieved from http://www.epochtimes.com.tw/n26360/國中會考增非選──英聽作文都要考.html】
- 宋曜廷、周業太、曾芬蘭（2014）。十二年國民基本教育的入學考試與評量變革。教育科學研究期刊，59（1），1-32。doi:10.6209/JORIES.2014.59(1).01【Sung, Y.-T., Chou, Y.-T., & Tseng, F.-L. (2014). Standards-based assessments for 12-year basic education in Taiwan. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 59(1), 1-32. doi:10.6209/JORIES.2014.59(1).01】
- 吳清山（2013）。差異化教學與學生學習。國家教育研究院電子報，38。取自https://epaper. naer.edu.tw/print.php?edm_no=38&content_no=1011【Wu, C.-S. (2013). Differentiated instruction and its impact on students’ learning. E-Paper about National Academy for Educational Research, 38. Retrieved from https://epaper.naer.edu.tw/print.php?edm_no=38&content_no= 1011】
- 范郁涵（2014）。三段式聽力補救教學對中台灣八年級英語低成就國中英語聽力之效益及回應之研究（未出版碩士論文）。國立高雄師範大學，高雄市。【Fan, Y.-H. (2014). Effects of the three-phase active listening remedial program on English listening performance and responses for lower English achievers in the eighth grade in central Taiwan (Unpublished master’s thesis). National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.】
» More
- 12年國教 國中會考加考英聽（2012，4月20日）。蘋果日報。取自https://tw.appledaily.com/ headline/daily/20120420/34173011【There will be English listening tests of the comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students. (2012, April 20). Apple Daily. Retrieved from https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20120420/34173011】
- 江禹嬋（2012，4月20日）。國中會考增非選、英聽作文都要考。大紀元報。取自http://www. epochtimes.com.tw/n26360/國中會考增非選──英聽作文都要考.html【Chiang, Y.-C. (2012, April 20). There will be open-ended questions and English listening and writing tests of the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students. Epoch Times. Retrieved from http://www.epochtimes.com.tw/n26360/國中會考增非選──英聽作文都要考.html】
- 宋曜廷、周業太、曾芬蘭（2014）。十二年國民基本教育的入學考試與評量變革。教育科學研究期刊，59（1），1-32。doi:10.6209/JORIES.2014.59(1).01【Sung, Y.-T., Chou, Y.-T., & Tseng, F.-L. (2014). Standards-based assessments for 12-year basic education in Taiwan. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 59(1), 1-32. doi:10.6209/JORIES.2014.59(1).01】
- 吳清山（2013）。差異化教學與學生學習。國家教育研究院電子報，38。取自https://epaper. naer.edu.tw/print.php?edm_no=38&content_no=1011【Wu, C.-S. (2013). Differentiated instruction and its impact on students’ learning. E-Paper about National Academy for Educational Research, 38. Retrieved from https://epaper.naer.edu.tw/print.php?edm_no=38&content_no= 1011】
- 范郁涵（2014）。三段式聽力補救教學對中台灣八年級英語低成就國中英語聽力之效益及回應之研究（未出版碩士論文）。國立高雄師範大學，高雄市。【Fan, Y.-H. (2014). Effects of the three-phase active listening remedial program on English listening performance and responses for lower English achievers in the eighth grade in central Taiwan (Unpublished master’s thesis). National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.】
- 國立臺灣師範大學心理與教育測驗研究發展中心（2014）。教育會考與國中基測比較表。取自http://cap.ntnu.edu.tw/background.html【The Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing, National Taiwan Normal University. (2014). The comparison and contrast chart between comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students and the basic competence test for junior high school students. Retrieved from http://cap.ntnu.edu.tw/back ground.html】
- 國立臺灣師範大學心理與教育測驗研究發展中心（2018）。107年國中教育會考問與答。取自https://cap.nace.edu.tw/files.html【The Research Center for Psychological and Educational Testing, National Taiwan Normal University. (2018). Q&A about the 2018 comprehensive assessment program for junior high school students. Retrieved from https://cap.nace.edu.tw/files.html】
- 教育部（2017）。國民小學及國民中學學生成績評量準則。取自http://edu.law.moe.gov.tw/ LawContent.aspx?id=FL008949【Ministry of Education. (2017). Assessment criteria for high school and elementary school students. Retrieved from http://edu.law.moe.gov.tw/LawContent.aspx?id=FL008949】
- 教育部（2018）。十二年國民基本教育課程綱要國民中小學暨普通型高級中等學校語文領域─英語文。取自https://www.naer.edu.tw/files/15-1000-14113,c639-1.php?Lang=zh-tw【Ministry of Education. (2018). Twelve-year compulsory education curriculum outline of language area — English. Retrieved from https://www.naer.edu.tw/files/15-1000-14113,c639-1.php?Lang=zh-tw】
- 張家銘（2015）。國中教育會考加考英語聽力之調查研究（未出版碩士論文）。康寧大學，臺南市。【Chang, C.-M. (2015). An investigation of incorporating English listening in the comprehensive assessment program for junior high schools (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Kang Ning, Tainan, Taiwan.】
- 曾芬蘭、鍾長宏、陳世玉、張銘秋（2018）。國中課室素養導向標準本位評量的設計與應用：以英語科閱讀為例。教育科學研究期刊，63（4），119-155。doi:10.6209/JORIES.201812_ 63(4).0005【Tseng, F.-L., Chung, C.-H., Chen, S.-Y., & Chang, M.-C. (2018). Development and implementation of a standardized junior high school classroom literacy assessment: English reading comprehension as an example. Journal of Research in Education Sciences, 63(4), 119-155. doi:10.6209/JORIES.201812_63(4).0005】
- 賀道啟（2006）。國中基本學力測驗英語科加考聽力測驗：問卷調查研究（未出版碩士論文）。國立臺灣師範大學，臺北市。【Her, T.-C. (2006). Incorporating a listening component into the basic competence English test: A questionnaire survey (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.】
- 傅秋英（2007）。學生、家長、國中教育人員對國中基本學力測驗態度及改進意見之研究（未出版碩士論文）。國立中山大學，高雄市。【Fu, Q.-Y. (2007). The study of the attitude and improvements on the basic competency test for junior high school students for students, parents and educators (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.】
- 廖佩莉（2013）。倒流效應：香港全港性系統評估（TSA）對小學中國語文科教師的影響。教育研究月刊，228，86-102。【Liao, P.-L. (2013). The washback: The impact of the Hong Kong Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) on primary Chinese language teachers. Journal of Education Research, 228, 86-102.】
- Alderson, J. C., & Wall, D. (1993). Does washback exist? Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 115-129. doi:10.1093/applin/14.2.115
- Bailey, K. M. (1996). Working for washback: A review of the washback concept in language testing. Language Testing, 13(3), 257-279. doi:10.1177/026553229601300303
- Chen, C. (2015). EFL listening comprehension strategies for Taiwanese senior high students (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Chen, C.-Y. (2016). The action research of integrating differentiated instruction with cooperative learning to improve junior high school students’ English learning outcomes: An example of junior high school in Taoyuan (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan.
- Chen, L.-F. (2011). An investigation of the relationships among learning styles, listening comprehension strategies, and English listening comprehension of Taiwanese EFL junior high school students (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan.
- Cheng, L., & Curtis, A. (2004). Washback or backwash: A review of the impact of testing on teaching and learning. In L. Cheng, Y. Watanabe, & A. Curtis (Eds.), Washback in language testing: Research contexts and methods (pp. 3-17). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Chou, J.-C. (2016). The effect of listening strategy instruction on listening comprehension and strategy use in junior high school EFL students (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Davies, A., Brown, A., Elder, C., Hill, K., Lumley, T., & McNamara, T. (1999). Dictionary of language testing 7, studies in language testing. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Ho, Y.-H. (2017). Action research on integrating differentiated instruction into English class in a junior high school (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Hughes, A. (2003). Testing for language teachers. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Li, H.-Y. (2015). A study on the effects of listening strategy instruction on junior high school students’ listening comprehension: An experimental-comparative study of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, Taiwan.
- Liao, Y.-F. (2016). Investigating the score dependability and decision dependability of the GEPT listening test: A multivariate generalizability theory approach. English Teaching & Learning, 40(1), 79-111.
- Lin, L., & Yang, M. (2017). Intertextuality in spoken discourse in business communication: Learners’ enactment of discourse roles. English Teaching & Learning, 41(1), 63-89.
- Lin, Y.-T. (2009). A study on the washback effect of the basic competence English on junior high school students in Northern Taiwan (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Madaus, G. F., & Kellaghan, T. (1992). Curriculum evaluation and assessment. In P. W. Jackson (Ed.), Handbook of research on curriculum: A project of the American educational research association (pp. 119-154). New York, NY: Macmillan.
- Messick, S. (1996). Validity and washback in language testing. Language Testing, 13(3), 241-256. doi:10.1177/026553229601300302
- Noble, A. J., & Smith, M. L. (1994). Old and new beliefs about measurement-driven reform: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Los Angeles, CA: National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing.
- Pan, L.-H. (2017). The application of mastery learning and differentiated instruction on seventh-grade EFL learners’ listening and reading comprehension (Unpublished master’s thesis). Tainan University of Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.
- Pan, Y.-C., & Newfields, T. (2012). Tertiary EFL proficiency graduation requirements in Taiwan: A study of washback on learning. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 9(1), 108-122.
- Pearson, I. (1988). Tests as levers for change. In D. Chamberlain & R. J. Baumgardner (Eds.), ESP in the classroom: Practice and evaluation (ELT Documents 128) (pp. 98-107). London, UK: Modern English.
- Saif, S. (2006). Aiming for positive washback: A case study of international testing assistants. Language Testing, 23(1), 1-34. doi:10.1191/0265532206lt322oa
- Salahshour, F., Sharifi, M., & Salahshour, N. (2013). The relationship between language learning strategy use, language proficiency level and learner gender. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 634-643. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.103
- Salehi, H., & Yunus, M. M. (2012). The washback effect of the Iranian Universities entrance exam: Teachers’ insights. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 12(2), 609-628.
- Shohamy, E., Donitsa-Schmidt, S., & Ferman, I. (1996). Test impact revisited: Washback effect over time. Language Testing, 13(3), 299-317. doi:10.1177/026553229601300305
- Taylor, L. (2005). Washback and impact. ELT Journal, 59(2), 154-155. doi:10.1093/eltj/cci030
- Tomlinson, C. A. (2004). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classroom (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
- Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
- Vandergrift, L. (1997). The comprehension strategies of second language (French) listeners: A descriptive study. Foreign Language Annals, 30(3), 387-409. doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.1997. tb02362.x
- Vernon, P. E. (1956). The measurement of abilities. Oxford, UK: University of London Press.
- Wang, C.-H. (2015). The efficacy of implementing differentiated instruction on EFL high school students’ English listening comprehension ability (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Wang, S.-M. (2015). The washback effect of comprehensive assessment program on junior high school students (Unpublished master’s thesis). Ming Chuan University, Taipei, Taiwan.