Examining Hie Wasi-Iback Effect of Grade ten Ecsec English Language National Examination on English L Anguage Instruction Through Plasma Tv
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Date
2009-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was intended to investigate the impact of the Grade Ten EGSEC English
Language Examination on students' and teachers' attitude towards English Language
instruction through Plasma TV. The study also attempted to identify the washback effect
of the Grade Ten EGSEC Engli sh Language Examination on Studen ts' and teachers'
classroom acti viti es. The study was conducted on Grade Ten students and Engli sh
Language teachers of Goro Secondary Schoo l, government school in Nazareth (Adama)
where Engli sh Language is taught through satellite Television. 170 students unci six
Engli sh Language teachers were involved in the study.
The required data for the study were collected using questionnaire, interview, informal
conversation, Classroom observation and document inspection. The results revealed that
the Grade Ten EGSEC Engli sh Language Examination triggers harmful washback effect
on students' and teachers' attitude towards the Plasma TV English Language instruction.
The result of the study also indicted that there was on adverse impact of the EGSEC
Engli sh national examination on what teachers and students do in the actual classroom
teaching/learning process. That is the nature or the examination made studcnts and
teachers focus on only grammar exercises, reading tasks & vocabulari es. The document
inspec ted, on the other hand, showed that there is a substant ial relationship between the
Grade Ten EGSEC Engli sh Language exami nat ion and the Grades 9 and 10 textbooks.
However, the format and items of the examinations were fi xed and almost the same every
year. And thi s, in turn, has the effect of narrowing the Grade Ten Engli sh Language
Curriculum .
Based on the findin gs, it was recommended that in order to make students and teachers of
Grade Ten have positive attitude towards the plasma TV transmiss ion, all the
communicative tasks, exercises and activities of the pl asma lessons need to be tested on
the EGSEC exami nation. Moreover, the GEQAEA organization and other authorities
concerned need to work together to modify the fi xed and aged format of the Engli sh
national examination. The experts of test designing should also set the examinat ion in
way it could ascertain the goals of the examinat ion and the English language educat ion of
the country.
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Keywords
National Examination