5-minute definitions for teachers in a hurry: WASHBACK

Everything English Language Teaching!

24 Jan 202005:19

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Nico Sifakas discusses 'washback,' the effect high-stakes exams have on teaching and learning. These standardized exams, commonly sought after by students in countries like Brazil, Greece, and Japan, can shape classroom instruction. Washback can be positive when teaching aligns with authentic language skills tested, or negative when it leads to 'teaching to the test.' Teachers, learners, and stakeholders all influence this process. Nico emphasizes that understanding washback helps educators align instruction with desired learning outcomes, especially in a test-driven education environment.

Takeaways

🌍 High-stakes exams are standardized tests for certification of proficiency in English, recognized globally.
📚 These exams are highly sought after in countries like Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, China, Japan, and Taiwan.
💡 The influence of high-stakes exams on teaching and learning is known as 'washback'.
✅ Positive washback occurs when there is alignment between what is taught and what is tested, promoting authentic language use.
❌ Negative washback happens when there's a disconnect between instructional goals and test content, often leading to 'teaching to the test'.
👨‍🏫 Teachers play a central role in interpreting and applying washback, shaping both the content and methods of teaching.
📖 Textbooks and course materials often adapt to the demands of high-stakes exams, influencing classroom practices.
🎓 Learners and their parents drive the need to prepare for these exams, while administrators and publishers also impact the washback process.
🔄 Washback is a reciprocal process, with learners also capable of influencing the teaching and learning dynamic.
📝 Well-designed exams that prioritize communicative language use can lead to positive washback, improving learning outcomes.

Q & A

What are high-stakes exams?
-High-stakes exams are standardized tests that offer certification of proficiency in subjects like English, widely accepted in professional and academic settings. They are highly sought after by students in various countries.
Which countries typically have large numbers of students preparing for high-stakes exams?
-Countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, China, Japan, and Taiwan have large numbers of students preparing for these exams.
What is washback in the context of teaching and testing?
-Washback refers to the influence that testing has on teaching, learning, and assessment. It affects how teachers teach, what they teach, and how learners prepare, both positively and negatively.
What is positive washback?
-Positive washback occurs when there is alignment between what is taught and what is tested, encouraging authentic language use. For example, if a test focuses on speaking skills, and the classroom activities reflect this focus, learners benefit from real-world language practice.
What is negative washback?
-Negative washback happens when there is a mismatch between instructional goals and test requirements. This often results in 'teaching to the test,' where teachers focus on test preparation at the expense of broader educational goals.
Can you give an example of negative washback?
-An example of negative washback is a test that only includes controlled writing tasks, like dictation or fill-in-the-blank exercises, which leads to teaching for linguistic accuracy rather than authentic language use.
Who are the key players involved in washback?
-The key players in washback include test developers, examination boards, course book materials developers, teachers, learners, administrators, parents, and other stakeholders in the education process.
Why are teachers central to the washback process?
-Teachers are central to the washback process because they interpret, filter, and decide what aspects of the curriculum and course materials to teach. Their choices have a significant influence on the teaching methods and content.
How do learners impact the washback process?
-Learners impact the washback process as they are the recipients of instruction and can influence teaching by their needs and expectations. Washback is an interactive process that involves both teachers and learners.
Why is washback an important concept for educators?
-Washback is important because it highlights how the testing culture influences teaching and learning. It helps educators reflect on whether their teaching aligns with test requirements and how to improve both learning outcomes and test preparation.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction to Washback and High-Stakes Exams

The speaker, Nico Sifakas, introduces the concept of 'washback' in the context of teaching and high-stakes exams, which are standardized tests that certify English proficiency. These exams are important in many countries, shaping the attitudes of students, parents, principals, and teachers. Washback refers to the effect these exams have on teaching, learning, and assessment. It can be positive when the test aligns with authentic language use taught in class, or negative when it leads to teaching strictly for test preparation, disregarding the actual instructional goals.

05:00

✅ Positive vs. Negative Washback

Positive washback occurs when there is alignment between what is taught and what is tested. For example, if speaking skills are taught and tested, students are better prepared for real-world communication. Negative washback, however, happens when tests do not reflect the broader curriculum goals, leading teachers to focus solely on test preparation rather than genuine learning. An example is teaching only controlled writing exercises like dictation, which undermines developing actual language skills. Teachers play a crucial role in mediating washback by deciding how closely they align their teaching with exam content.

📘 Washback's Impact on Teaching Materials and Stakeholders

Washback affects more than just teachers and students; it also involves test developers, examination boards, and course material developers. These stakeholders influence how an exam is interpreted, but ultimately, teachers have significant control over what is taught in the classroom. This emphasizes the reciprocal nature of washback, where learners also affect how teaching and preparation are approached. The speaker stresses the importance of recognizing the type of washback present in one's teaching environment, whether positive or negative, and adapting accordingly.

🔍 Why Washback Matters for Educators

Washback is crucial because it reflects how the testing culture affects teaching and learning practices. The speaker does not argue against high-stakes exams but emphasizes that well-designed tests, which assess communicative language skills, have a positive impact on learning. Since these exams are highly sought after, they drive learning in the right direction. Educators need to identify whether washback in their context is positive or negative and understand how various stakeholders, such as administrators and parents, shape this dynamic.

📚 Further Readings and Final Thoughts

The speaker concludes the video by offering additional resources for understanding washback, which are available in the video description. Viewers are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comments and suggest other teaching-related terms they would like covered in future videos.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡High-stakes exams

High-stakes exams refer to standardized tests that have significant consequences for the students taking them. They often determine certification of proficiency in subjects like English and are widely recognized in professional and academic settings. In the video, examples of countries where these exams are popular include Brazil, China, and Greece, showing the global importance of such tests.

💡Washback

Washback is the influence that a test has on teaching and learning. It can be either positive or negative depending on whether the test aligns with the instructional goals. For example, when a test promotes authentic language use, it leads to positive washback, but if it only focuses on controlled exercises, it may cause negative washback.

💡Positive washback

Positive washback occurs when there is a strong alignment between what is taught and what is tested. In the video, positive washback is described as being present when a test reflects authentic language use, such as testing speaking skills if the instructional focus is on speaking. This alignment encourages effective learning and prepares students for real-world applications.

💡Negative washback

Negative washback arises when there is a mismatch between the goals of the curriculum and the content of the test. This leads to 'teaching to the test,' where teachers focus on test-specific content, neglecting broader instructional goals. The video cites examples like focusing only on dictation or fill-in-the-blank exercises, which limit students’ language development.

💡Teaching to the test

Teaching to the test refers to the practice of focusing instruction primarily on the content that will appear on a test, often at the expense of broader educational goals. This concept is highlighted as a result of negative washback, where teachers may narrow their teaching methods to meet the specific demands of an exam, thus hindering comprehensive learning.

💡Authentic language use

Authentic language use involves engaging students in real-world communication tasks, as opposed to purely academic exercises. The video emphasizes that positive washback is achieved when tests measure students' ability to use language interactively and communicatively, as opposed to focusing on rigid grammatical accuracy.

💡Test developers

Test developers are responsible for designing the structure and content of exams. Their decisions directly impact the washback effect, as the alignment of the test with teaching goals can lead to either positive or negative outcomes. The video highlights that test developers, along with examination boards, play a critical role in shaping how tests affect teaching.

💡Coursebook materials

Coursebook materials refer to textbooks and other educational resources used in classrooms. The video notes that these materials are often influenced by the requirements of high-stakes exams, and in turn, they influence how teachers teach. For instance, if the test emphasizes writing, coursebooks integrate more writing activities to prepare students.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the context of washback include all parties involved in the educational process: teachers, learners, parents, administrators, and materials developers. The video explains that stakeholders have varying expectations and attitudes towards tests, and these perspectives play a crucial role in determining the type of washback experienced in a teaching situation.

💡Learners

Learners are the students who are at the center of the washback effect, as they are the ones who take the high-stakes exams. The video describes learners as both recipients and influencers in the washback process, as their learning is shaped by how teachers prepare them for tests. They can also influence teaching by expressing their needs and expectations.

Highlights

High-stakes exams are standardized tests widely recognized for certifying proficiency in English, sought after by many students globally.

Countries with high participation in these exams include Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, China, Japan, and Taiwan.

High-stakes exams influence learners, parents, teachers, principals, and textbook selection, affecting teaching and learning processes.

Washback refers to the impact that tests have on teaching, learning, and assessing even before they are taken.

Positive washback occurs when there is alignment between what is taught and what is tested, leading to authentic language use.

An example of positive washback is testing speaking skills if the focus is on teaching those skills.

Negative washback happens when there is a mismatch between the syllabus goals and the focus of testing, leading to 'teaching to the test'.

An example of negative washback is a test focusing solely on controlled writing tasks, which neglects broader language skills.

Washback involves not only teachers but also test developers, examination boards, and course material creators.

Teachers play a critical role in interpreting and filtering test expectations and adjusting their teaching methods accordingly.

Learners are also stakeholders in the washback process, as they are directly affected by how teaching is shaped by exams.

Well-designed high-stakes tests, focusing on communicative language use, can generate positive washback.

Teachers should identify the type of washback—positive or negative—that is affecting their teaching environment.

The attitudes, expectations, and decisions of stakeholders such as administrators, parents, and publishers play a role in washback.

Understanding washback helps educators reflect on how the testing culture influences teaching methods and learning outcomes.