A Study on the Washback Effects of the Test for English Majors (TEM): Implications for Testing and Teaching Reforms - Softcover

Xu, Qian; Liu, Jun

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9811347107 ISBN 13: 9789811347108

Publisher: Springer, 2019

Synopsis

This book adopts a multi-method and multi-phase approach to investigate the washback effects of Test for English Majors (TEM) on program administrators, teachers and students, shedding new light on TEM reform and the reform of English teaching and learning in China. TEM, a nationwide test used to measure the language proficiency of undergraduate English majors in China, is a major standardized test taken by nearly 400,000 students every year. The book’s key features include: an in-depth discussion of the nature of washback and a framework for investigating it; a multi-method and multi-phase approach, employing both the quantitative method of questionnaire surveys and the qualitative methods of interviews and classroom observations; large-scale questionnaire surveys conducted among experts, program administrators, teachers and students, and involving over 30,000 participants; detailed assessments of TEM’s washback effects on stakeholders’ perceptions, classroom teaching practice, students learning activities, etc.; and essential insights into testing and teaching reforms.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Qian Xu is a teacher and researcher at Shanghai International Studies University, China. She holds a PhD in Language Assessment and Teaching from Shanghai International Studies University and was a visiting scholar at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her research interests include language assessment, English teaching and teacher education. She began her research into the washback effects of the National Matriculation English Test (NMET) and Test for English Majors (TEM) in 2001 and has since published more than ten articles in SSCI, CSSCI and other academic journals. She has also published university textbooks on English and reference books for the TEM in China.

Ms. Jun Liu is an ESP teacher at Shanghai University of Electric Power. She holds a Master’s degree in language testing and teaching theories from Shanghai International Studies University, where she was a visiting scholar majoring in Jewish literature. She was mentored by the internationally renowned English testing professor Ms. Shen Zou and the world-famous Jewish literature scholar, Mr. Guoqiang Qiao. Her research interests include language assessment, English teaching and Jewish literature, and she has published extensively in the field of language teaching and assessment.

From the Back Cover

This book adopts a multi-method and multi-phase approach to investigate the washback effects of Test for English Majors (TEM) on program administrators, teachers and students, shedding new light on TEM reform and the reform of English teaching and learning in China. TEM, a nationwide test used to measure the language proficiency of undergraduate English majors in China, is a major standardized test taken by nearly 400,000 students every year. The book’s key features include: an in-depth discussion of the nature of washback and a framework for investigating it; a multi-method and multi-phase approach, employing both the quantitative method of questionnaire surveys and the qualitative methods of interviews and classroom observations; large-scale questionnaire surveys conducted among experts, program administrators, teachers and students, and involving over 30,000 participants; detailed assessments of TEM’s washback effects on stakeholders’ perceptions, classroom teaching practice, students learning activities, etc.; and essential insights into testing and teaching reforms.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9811347107
• ISBN 13: 9789811347108
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 266