An Empirical Research On The Washback Effect Of NMET On Senior High School Students’ English Learning

The National Matriculation English Test (NMET) as a way to select secondary school graduates for higher education has attracted more attention from both educators and students (Qi Luxia,2004). The washback of the test on teaching has attracted attention over recent years (Qi Luxia,2004; Liu Qingsi,2008), but washback on learners is seldom discussed.The present study investigates the washback effect of NMET on students’ learning, and whether teachers are influential in shaping washback to the learners. The questionnaires were distributed to 246 students from one senior high school in Liaoning Province, and 10 of them were chosen as the interviewees. The research aims to solve these three questions:(1) What is the washback effect of NMET on students’English learning? (2) How does NMET influence students’English learning? (3) Are there any individual differences among students in normal classes and key classes with regard to the washback effect?The results show that (1) NMET will influence students’learning to some extent. The grades of influence are (from high to low):learning rate and sequence, learning content, and learning methods. (2) The impact of NMET on students’learning is not direct, it is mediated by teachers. (3) There are no significant differences among students in normal classes and key classes with regard to the washback effect. In the test-oriented environment, teachers averagely neglect the real intention of NMET and individual differences of students, and still employ the traditional methods to teach the similar content which emphasizes the language points.Based on the findings, some implications are put forward:(1) Improving the implementation of NMET in Liaoning Province. (2) More attention should be paid on teacher development. Teachers should realize the intended intention of NMET, and adjust teaching content and methods on the basis of it. (3) Students should have the correct attitude toward English learning and language tests, and develop autonomous learning ability.Although test-oriented education could not be changed immediately and easily, hope the positive washback of NMET will be maximized and establish a right value of language teaching and learning.