The Washback Effect of the English National Examination (ENE) on English Teachers’ Classroom Teaching and Students’ Learning

Abstract

Abstract:Since 2005, Indonesia has administered the National Examination (NE), from which the result is used as a basis to decide the students' exit from secondary schools. As a high stake testing, the NE has caused various washback effects, both positive and negative. Consequently, the existence of the NE has been accompanied by heated debates and controversies. The pros believe that the NE may improve secondary education standards, while the cons argue that the NE will create injustice and unnecessary anxiety among the students. However, both the pros and cons base their arguments on common sense not supported by a sound reasoning. The present study tries to explore the washback effects of the English National Examination (ENE) in Indonesian secondary education context, involving three Secondary Schools categorized based on their NE achievement. The results of the study indicate that English teachers and students from the schools involved have different perceptions on the ENE. The English National Examination has an influential impact on teachers' teaching in the aspect of: activity/time arrangement, teaching materials, teaching contents, teaching methods, teaching strategies, ways of assessing, and on the feelings and attitudes of the students. The ENE also affects the students' learning in the classroom in which teachers mainly teach to test, practice the test and develop test-taking strategies. The dimensions of the washback effect of the ENE on both English teachers and students are negative and positive, strong, specific and for a short period time.

English language education in Indonesia: A review of research (2011–2019)

“…This role raised controversy among education stakeholders, especially concerning the negative effect of the NE, such as preparation drill, students’ cheating, answer key leakage and the security of test items. In this context, Sukyadi and Mardiani (2011) and Furaidah, Saukah, and Widiati (2015) examined the washback effect of the NE on high-achieving and low-achieving schools. They found that low-achieving schools had more negative washback than high-achieving schools.…”

The Impact of Different Types of Tests in EFL Writing on the Teachers’ Classroom Practices

“…The teachers feel they are being under pressured as to prepare the students to achieve the passing grade in the high-stake test. It does not represent the quality improvement of education because it is dishonesty-provoking, the only standard to measure school quality, unfair, and useless (Sukyadi & Mardiani, 2011). In addition, Furaidah (2013) asserts the involvement of all teachers including those who teach at the tenth and eleventh grade in collecting materials for drilling activities to prepare for the NE.…”

“…In some previous studies by Sukyadi & Mardiani (2011), Arapah (2013), Furaidah (2013 Ginting (2014), andSaehu (2015), investigation about the impact of the administration both NE and the SE on the teachers' classroom practices were not their main interest. Mostly they focus the investigation on the impact of NE only or SE only.…”

“…Feeling and attitude: students show mixed feeling towards the exam in which at one side exams make them work hard to gain success and on the other side exams do not accurately reflect all aspects of their research (Cheng, 1998, p. 296), some teachers show reluctance to innovation in teaching (Pizarro, 2010), positive and negative attitudes were revealed in the schools of different level of achievers. The higher the level of achievers, the more positive wash-back was shown (Sukyadi & Mardiani, 2011).…”

“…Learning: students prepared the exam by learning more seriously especially closed to the due days and preparation to NE made them ready for the test (Sukyadi & Mardiani, 2011), preparation classes were provided (Furaidah, 2013).…”