The washbackof the english national examination (ENE) for grades 9 and 10 on teaching practices in Ethiopia: A case study of debre markos secondary schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the washback effect from the Grades 9 and 10 English National Exam on teaching practices in Ethiopia. The study was conducted at secondary schools in Debre Markos, with 33 Grades 9 and 10 English language teachers participating. Data were collected from classroom observations, document analysis, questionnaire survey, and interviews and then analyzed by calculating mean percentages, performing multiple regression, and undertaking thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the washback effect from the national exam mainly influenced the teaching domains of lesson content, teaching methodology, choice of teaching materials, and classroom assessment to become exam-oriented and deviate from the learning objectives in the syllabi. Furthermore, it was discovered that the factors mediating this effect on teaching practices were students' learning attitudes to the exam, external pressure from other stakeholders, and the teachers' awareness of the content and form of the exam. Consequently, the exam exerted negative, strong, and overt washback effect on teaching practices.