Washback Effect of the English Proficiency Test (EPT) on PhD Candidates’ Language Learning Strategies

Journal of Language and Translation

دوره 11، شماره 3، مهر 2021، صفحه 179-191   

نوع مقاله: Research Articles

شناسه دیجیتال (DOI): 10.30495/ttlt.2021.683485

نویسندگان

Golnaz Jamalifar¹؛ Hadi Salehi^{* 2}؛ Omid Tabatabaei³؛ Manoochehr Jafarigohar⁴

¹PhD Candidate of TEFL, English Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

²Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, English Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

³Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, English Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

⁴Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of TEFL and English Literature, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

چکیده

Washback has been defined as the impact of testing on curriculum design, teaching practice, and learning behaviours. The English Proficiency Test (EPT) is a high-stakes test in Iran and is prone to bring degrees of washback both at micro and macro levels. This study was an attempt to examine the washback effect of the EPT on Iranian PhD candidates’ language learning strategies. To this end, a mixed-methods approach of data collection was used to collect, analyze, and integrate quantitative and qualitative data to reach a better grasp of the research topic and enhance the validity and reliability of the information. Based on the sequential exploratory design, two phases of data collection were conducted with a two-week interval. In the first phase, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) was administered to 200 students at Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan). In the second phase, 20 students who filled out the questionnaire showed their willingness to participate in the interview session and write their language learning diaries. Finally, the quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed via descriptive and thematic analysis, respectively. The results showed both positive and negative washback effects on the students’ language learning strategies. The findings of this study have practical implications for EFL language teachers, syllabus designers, and material developers.

کلیدواژه‌ها

English Proficiency Test (EPT)؛ Language Learning Strategies؛ Washback

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