Investigating preuniversity EFL teachers’ perceived wash-back effects of university entrance exams and teaching materials on students’ learning objectives and teachers’ class performance

Abstract

This study investigated the preuniversity EFL teachers’ perceptions toward the wash-back effects of the University Entrance Exams and the preuniversity students’ textbook (English 1 & 2) on the students’ communicative learning objectives and their teachers’ class performance in Shiraz, Iran. Likewise, to investigate if the two sources are aligned toward the objectives of the educational system in our EFL setting was pursued. To this end, The Teacher Textbook Evaluation Scale questionnaire was administered to 40 preuniversity EFL teachers. Using the SPSS version 17 and a two-way ANOVA, the results of participants’ perceptions showed that although the English textbook was designed to follow the communicative teaching and learning objectives, the teachers were influenced by these types of exams being against the purposes of the syllabus. Also, these tests and the supplementary materials showed negative wash-effects on the students’ learning objectives and teachers’ class practices. Teachers’ different years of experience and their views on the effect of university entrance exams on the education goals and the way teachers use the materials were statistically significant, but their gender distinction was nonsignificant. These results coped with those of the previous studies at different educational levels.