The Backwash Effect of the Test Items in the Achievement Exams in Preparatory Classes

Üniversite İngilizce Hazırlık Sınıfında Küçük Ölçekli Bir Sınav için Görünüş Geçerliği Çalışması

“…Öte yandan, sınavda ölçülen konular ve sınavdaki maddeler eğer öğretim programı ve içerik ile uyumlu ise olumlu bir yankılanma etkisi gözlemlenir, aksi durumda ise yankılanma etkisi olumsuz olur (Brown & Hudson, 2002). Paker (2013) ölçme değerlendirme alanında yaptığı çalışmada İngilizce hazırlık programlarında uygulanan yeterlik sınavlarının yankılanma etkisinin olumlu ve yapıcı olacak şekilde tasarlanması gerektiğini ortaya koymuştur.…”

“…Brown and Hudson (2002) state that if the items in the test are in line with the goals of the syllabus, a positive backwash effect can be observed. Paker (2013) supports this idea by suggesting that the items should be designed in a constructive rather than destructive way on the backwash effect of test items in the achievement tests of intensive English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program.…”

Review of Journal Articles on Washback in Language Testing in Turkey (2010-2017)

“…Similarly, Paker (2012) investigated the content of the achievement tests given in various preparatory programs in Schools of Foreign Languages of 13 universities in Turkey in terms of the four language skills and language use. The aim of the study was to analyze types of test items and tasks used in these exams and their possible washback effects on not only learning but also teaching processes.…”

The Development of a Scale to Evaluate Foreign Language Skills at Preparatory Schools

“…Due to their crucial role in enabling tertiary level students to gain a proficient knowledge of English so that they can follow their courses in English effectively, it has, therefore, become essential to evaluate whether preparatory schools serve such ends or not (Coşkun, 2013;Ekşi, 2017). The Higher Education Council (2016) responsible for the coordination of universities in the Turkish context states the aim of foreign language education as "to teach students basic preference towards teaching academic skills rather than general English was needed (Keser & Köse, 2019), there were some motivational and attendance problems (İşcan, 2017), speaking skill needed to recieve more attention and also content, materials and activities were to be modified (Öner & Mede, 2015), speaking and listening skills considered weak also needed to be included more in the program (Yılmaz, 2009), and four language skills were to be tested through contextualised and communicative test items for backwash effect (Paker, 2013). All these studies have attempted to evaluate foreign language teaching preparatory programs in terms of objectives, content, course materials, teaching equipments, physical contexts, and language components in general (Akpur, Alcı, & Karataş, 2016;Balcı, Üğüten, & Çolak, 2018;Coşkun, 2013;Karataş & Fer, 2009;Özkanal & Hakan, 2010;Tunç, 2010); however, no study has yet attempted to investigate learners' success level in specific language skills; namely, speaking, reading, writing, or listening skills.…”

“…Language programs were viewed as effective in general; however, content, course materials, and teaching equipments (Güllü, 2007), physical contexts and the necessity to develop communicative skills (Tekin, 2015), and objectives, teaching materials, assessment, evaluation, and general structure (Uysal, 2019) were stated among problematic issues. In addition, curriculum needed revision in line with students' needs (Sağlam & Akdemir, 2018), curriculum needed to include academic or English for specific purposes courses (Balcı, Üğüten, & Çolak, 2018;Özkanal & Hakan, 2010) or technical English (Özkanal, 2009), a preference towards teaching academic skills rather than general English was needed (Keser & Köse, 2019), there were some motivational and attendance problems (İşcan, 2017), speaking skill needed to recieve more attention and also content, materials and activities were to be modified (Öner & Mede, 2015), speaking and listening skills considered weak also needed to be included more in the program (Yılmaz, 2009), and four language skills were to be tested through contextualised and communicative test items for backwash effect (Paker, 2013). All these studies have attempted to evaluate foreign language teaching preparatory programs in terms of objectives, content, course materials, teaching equipments, physical contexts, and language components in general (Akpur, Alcı, & Karataş, 2016;Balcı, Üğüten, & Çolak, 2018;Coşkun, 2013;Karataş & Fer, 2009;Özkanal & Hakan, 2010;Tunç, 2010); however, no study has yet attempted to investigate learners' success level in specific language skills; namely, speaking, reading, writing, or listening skills.…”