TESTING SYSTEM

                                                           ABSTRACT

        The thesis mainly analyses the testing system on trainee teachers, the problems faced by them, the role of testing system, views about the testing system and reflections of trainee teachers. This study comprises of reflections of trainee teachers. Moreover, it examines the testing system as a teaching method and whether it is analytic, prompter or not. To investigate the problems and questions of this study, survey technique is used to collect the data. In addition, participants are chosen from different schools to reach the exact information.

          On the basis of the views of research participants, three categories are considered. It is reflected in the findings that trainee teachers have a trouble with the qualification of exams. Furthermore, data analysis states that the major factor on trainee teachers’ attribution is the achievement of testing system. Finally, the results of this research study indicate that testing system can brush up the knowledge, make them qualified teachers and regrettably cause lack of motivation.

Key Words: Washback Effect, Motivation, Analytic, Qualified

                                                                                    

                                                                                                 Hasan Doğukan İNCE

Aim Of the Sample Study :  The aim of the study is to determine students’ reflection about the testing and seek an answer about the washback effect.

TESTING SYSTEM ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINEE TEACHERS

                                                                  TEST

          According to Sheng-ping & Chong-ning (2004), tests are the main sources of both teachers and students to get feedback, which enables them to reflect on their teaching and learning activities.

                                                       WASHBACK EFFECT

          Cheng & Curtis (2004), define the term “washback” or “backwash” as “the influence of testing on teaching and learning”. It means that both positive and negative effects of exams on learners is called “Washback/Backwaash”.

Positive Washback Effect: Favourable
Negative Backwash Effect: Adverse

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1.      HARMER’S IMPORTANT SPEECH AT 2015 ONLINE TOBELTA CONFERENCE

 About the Test and Teacher

·         Tests don’t measure the creativity and testing is only a snapshot. On the other hand, Teacher should love tests but they shouldn’t be testophile tests can be motivator. Tests tell us where students are. ”A test if it’s well done will tell you how well your students have done.”

·         Tests are getting better. “The Pearson test of academic English is bloody wonderful. I’m saying that because I believe it, not just because they pay me.” The designers claim that their speech-recognition software evaluates speech “as reliably and accurately as any human being can. And I have no reason to doubt that, because the research behind it is er.., er.., massive.”

·         Lots of tests are bad. If you want to change testing you can moan or do something; so learn about tests and do something. 

         At the second presentation, Harmer spends the rest of the hour variously stating the view that teachers need to become “test literate” experts in the field of testing. At one point Harmer says that teachers need to know about concepts of validity, reliability, and test item types, and at another point he says that knowledge of the two “profound concepts” of content validity and construct validity is vital if teachers are to “get inside the test.”

2.      GENERATION

         Since the tradition of the system will be passed down, testing system needs to be changed. Teachers should know more about the tests in order to use them correctly.

3.      LEARNING&TEACHING FOR THE TEST

        For our teaching system, as a general opinion is that the tests are the success criterian. Because of this, many teachers teach for the test and many students learn only for the tests. These learning&teaching is efficient for the short term. However; For the long term, they both don’t learn&teach anything.

                                     METHODS AND TEACHNIQUES

·         Survey technic is used to collect data and survey comprises of 20 multiple-choice question.The answers consist of three categories as agree, neutral and disagree.

·         Data was gathered from ELT students from 22 different universities in Turkey .The age avarage of participants is  22 and 64% of them are women and 36% of them are men.

RESULTS&FINDINGS

Questions                                                           Agree        Neutral    Disagree

                                                                             f - %         f - %             f - %

1) The content of exams shows
parallism with the subjects taught                      43-86%      5-10%          2-4%
in classes.

2) There is enough practice for                           16-32%       28-52%       6-12%
exams in classes before exams.

3) The distribution of easy and                           24-48%      18-36%        8-16%
hard topics is equal in exams.

4) Instructions and explanations                         35-70%      12-24%        3-6%
about questions in the exams are
very clear and they help me
understand the questions.

5) Frequency of the exams is          
beneficial for me in terms of                               24-48%      18-36%        8-16%
seeing my level and weaknesses.

6) We are given enough time to                          29-58%       15-30%       6-12%
complete the test.

7) I generally get the marks that                         19-38%       26-52%       5-10%
I guess in the quizzes.

8) Our instructor hands out our
papers after the exams and gives                         7-14%          8-16%         35-70%
us feedback about our incorrect        
and correct answers.

9) To be given feedback about the 
exams provides positive impact                           43-86%       5-10%          2-4%
on my learning.

10) We practise the topics that we
find difficult after the exams.                                11-22%       17-34%       22-44%

11) My lecturers care about the      
grammatical knowledge in exams.                        18-36%       19-38%      13-26%

12) Exams help me learn the                                 7-34%        19-38%       14-28%
topics that I do not know or
misknow.

13) Exams are analytic.                                         19-38%       23-46%        8-16%

14) Exams are reflective that I
can understand what I should                                25-50%       14-28%      11-22% 

study more.                               

15) I feel anxious while I am                                 12-24%        18-36%        20-40%
reading the questions.

16) Exams are predicated on
production that I have to                                         27-54%        15-30%        8-16%
interrelate the topics and        
create untypical answers.

17) I am eager to learn after the                              9-18%      25-50%        16-32%
exams.

18) I take dislike to learn after                                7-14%       27-54%       16-32%
the exams.

19) Exams are an obstacle to                                   8-16%        18-36%       24-48%
learn.

20) Exams are good                                                17-34%        25-50%       8-16%
feedback to learn more.

                          STUDENTS’ FEEDBACK ABOUT THE EXAMS

           40 % of the participants say that exams are well qualified and prompter in learning process. On the other hand; 60% of them indicate that the exams are predicated on memorisation,  not prepared analytically. In addition, They notice that they study to pass the class and their teacher does not give feedback about the exam and faults.

                                                         DISCUSSIONS

         The only aim is to increase the favourable washback effect.

         Both qualitative and quantitative findings show us exams are not used in original purpose. I support the testing on learning and believe that exam is one of the teaching methods&techniques. By the way of exams, learner can know what they learn, where they make mistake and how they can handle the problem.

         On the other hand one thing that shouldn’t be ignored is they can also dread to test. That time; having fun and ignoring the test come into play. But, in general, as teachers we should motivate them and develop the useful and efficient exam to use it correctly and by giving feedback.

     To sum up, Exams are the most useful technique in learning process as long as they are used relevantly.

REFERENCE LIST

     Harmer J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th ed.). Harlow: Longman.

     Sheng-ping, T. & Chong-ning, X. (2004). On washback of testing to general English education. Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference in ELT, China., (Köktürk)

     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, (Köktürk)

      Köktürk S. (2015). Washback effects of examinations on teaching and learning English in Gazi University

Preparatory School, 20(03), (3-9)