Washback of College Entrance English Exam on Student Perceptions of Learning in a Chinese Rural City

The National College Entrance English Exam (NCEEE) is a mandatory test for students to apply for colleges/universities in China. The high-stakes nature of the NCEEE means it has a great influence on students' learning, but such influence has not been investigated. This chapter addresses the gap by investigating the perceived washback of the NCEEE to student learning in a rural city in China. Guided by Bailey's (1996) framework of washback, this mixed-methods study surveyed high school senior students one month before taking the NCEEE and collected their test scores after the test. This chapter analyzed 38 Likert-scale items and one open-ended question about students' perceived influence of the NCEEE on their language learning. The results indicated serious grammar and drill driven orientation of learning and a perceived negative washback of NCEEE in developing oral communication skills. Suggestions on NCEEE test reform are discussed.