Washback of Bi H STANAG 6001 test Major

Washback of Bi. H STANAG 6001 test Major Drazen Malesevic Bi. H STANAG 6001 team Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Outline Ø Ø Definition of washback Terms in usage Micro and macro level of impact Impact on educational system (Impact of Bi. H STANAG 6001 test on ELT in AF Bi. H) Ø Micro level of washback Ø Types of washback Ø How to achieve beneficial washback Ø Conclusion Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

PURPOSE Ø To refer to theory of washback Ø To present the case of Bi. H Ø To analyze how to achieve beneficial washback Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Definition of washback Ø Different definitions Ø Different terms washback, backwash, impact Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

WASHBACK: The effect of testing on instruction From: Dictionary of Language Testing, 1999 Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

IMPACT “Any of the effects that a test may have on individuals, policies or practices, within the classroom, the school, the educational system or society as a whole” Wall (1997) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Washback “the effects of tests on teaching and learning” (Wall, 1997, p. 291) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Macro and micro level of impact Ø Macro level impact Ø Impact on society and educational system Ø Micro level impact Ø Impact on individuals involved in teaching and learning process (Bachman and Palmer) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

IMPACT ON SOCIETY University admission exam in Liberia - None of 25 thousand students passed (BBC NEWS, 26 August 2013) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

IMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM (Impact of Bi. H STANAG 6001 test on ELT in AF Bi. H) Ø ELT since 1998 Ø Bi. H STANAG 6001 since 2009 Ø The same objective (competent English language speaker properly assessed to operate effectively in the English language environment) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

ELT in AF Bi. H Ø Introduced in 1998 Ø Two different programs in the beginning Ø Four levels of the course (elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate and upper-intermediate) Ø The length of all courses was 12 weeks Ø After introducing STANAG 6001 five levels of the course (advance level of the course introduced) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

ELT in AF Bi. H Ø Curriculum was changed after introducing STANAG 6001 Ø The length of the course remained the same, 12 weeks Ø More exercises were added to the curriculum in order to improve certain skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

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Micro level of washback Ø test takers Ø Officers, NCOs, civilians, Mo. D officials Ø instructors Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

The stakes of STANAG 6001 test Selection of personnel for: Ø Ø Ø promotion to higher rank higher positions military diplomatic representatives PSO missions UN observer missions Schools and courses abroad (Book of rules) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

The stakes of STANAG 6001 test Promotion to higher rank in Montenegro: Ø Officers must have SLP 2222 Ø NCOs must have SLP 1111 (Law of service) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Types of washback Harmful Beneficial Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

How to achieve beneficial washback Ø Test the abilities whose development we want to encourage Ø Sample widely and unpredictably Hughes, p. 53 -57 Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

How to achieve beneficial washback Ø Use direct testing Ø Make testing criterion referenced Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013 Hughes, p. 53 -57

How to achieve beneficial washback Ø Base achievement tests on objectives Ø Ensure the test is known and understood by students and teachers Ø Documents related to testing on Mo. D site Ø Seminars related to testing organized for teachers Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013 Hughes, p. 53 -57

How to achieve beneficial washback Ø Where necessary, provide assistance to teachers Ø Counting the cost Ø Practicality Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013 Hughes, p. 53 -57

Conclusion STANAG test has a huge impact on: Ø individuals in AF Bi. H Ø ELT system After introducing STANAG 6001: Ø New level of course introduced Ø Curriculum changed Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Conclusion Is STANAG test mandatory after course? Ø It is not, but usually students obtain better results Ø It is not dependent on any course content Are they interwoven? Ø In a way, they are. (They both have the same objective, a competent and properly assessed language user) Ø They both have to keep their independence (even though, they are in a way interwoven) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Table of references: Ø Ø Ø Ø Lyle F. Banchman and Adrian S. Palmer, Language Testing in Practice: Designing and Developing Useful Language Tests, Oxford University Press; Arthur Hughes, Language Testing in Practice, Cambridge University Press; Harold S. Madsen, Techniques in Testing; Liying Cheng and Yoshinori Watanble, Washback in Language Testing: Research Contexts and Methods, LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS 2004 Mahwah, New Jersey London; J. CHARLES ALDERSON and DIANNE WALL, Does Washback Exist? Lancaster University BBC News, http: //www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-africa-23843578 Book of rules in AF Bi. H (related to promotion, carrier, education etc. ) Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013

Questions? Stockholm 14 -17 Oct 2013