An Optimal Exploitation of the Positive Washback Effect: Setting EFL Instructional Goals Aligning Teaching and Testing for 3rd Year Secondary School Learners

Abstract

The Washbackeffectrefers to the effect of a test on teaching/learningprocess and itdoesexist in anyteaching/testing situation. The washbackeffectisknown as beingnegative or positive. The washbackeffect of high-stakes tests has been examinedfrom various perspectives in differentcontexts and countries. The objectives of thisstudy are: to examine the washbackeffect of the Baccalaureate on EFL learning, to examine the other variables besides the Baccalaureatewhichcontribute to the washbackeffect on English learning, to investigate if the baccalaureate exam and the textbookreflect the curriculum and to investigate how can the teach-to-the-test approachbeoptimallyexploited to fulfill the learning of English for differentpurposes. The participants of this studywere five 3rd yearsecondaryschool English teachersfromthreedifferentsecondaryschools, and 3rd yearsecondaryschool learners of three classes, each class from a secondaryschool. The data werecollectedthrough an interview for teachers, a questionnaire for learners in addition to classroom observation in order to better capture and report the nuances of the classrooms dynamics, Besidesthis data the researcherused a document analysismethod, the 3rd yearsecondaryschooltextbook and the Baccalaureate exam wereanalyzed in order to check whethertheyreflect the curriculum or not. The variousmethods of collecting dataallowed the researcher to make the triangulation of the findings. This studyrevealedthat the washbackeffectismanifestedat both micro and macro levels. The findings of thisstudycould have different implications for teachers, learners, learners’ parents, test designers and textbook designers. The implications of thisstudymayimprove the quality of teaching and learning and hence make optimal exploitation the positive washbackeffect.