Changing Language Teaching through Language Testing: A Washback Study

Despite persistent assertions of washback (the influence of testing on teaching and learning) limited research studies have been undertaken on the subject. Even fewer studies have made use of quantitative and qualitative methods to examine washback. This book, at the intersection of language testing and teaching practices/programs, investigates the impact of the introduction of the 1996 Hong Kong Certificate of Education in English, a high-stakes public examination, on classroom teaching and learning in Hong Kong secondary schools. The washback effect was observed initially at the macro level, including different parties within the Hong Kong educational context, and subsequently at the micro level, in terms of the classroom, including aspects of teachers' attitudes, teaching content and classroom interactions. Further, the book offers insights into the concept that a test can be used as a change agent to encourage innovation in the classroom.