大学英语四六级写作及其写作教学
[Abstract] Writing testing is a kind of integrative testing, which examines students’ productive skills, receptive skills, as well as the usage of linguistic elements and usage, grammar, etc. Besides, it also tests students’ competence in organizing, analyzing, expressing, logical thinking, and mastering of various writing styles. Writing tests can test different levels and scopes of a language at a time. Thus, it really represents one’s linguistic competence.
It’s found that Chinese college students’ English language ability has greatly improved in recent years(from 1992 to 2003). However, the English writing ability is almost stagnant. In order to find out the reasons for this phenomenon, this thesis, based on the previous findings, analyzes the content validity of CET-4/6 writing tests, and compares the scoring criteria of CET-4/6 writing tests with those of College Entrance Examination(CEE) and with Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).The analysis and comparison point out such problems as the content validity, the requirements in the number of words, the form of the proposition, the scoring criteria. The existence of these problems has certain harmful backwash effects on college English writing teaching of college students, for example, the deficiency of the content, the dullness of the writing, etc. In line with the previous findings, the paper proposes some effective suggestions about college English writing test. It is hoped that the present study will be helpful for both college English writing and English teaching.
[Key Words] CET-4/6; writing tests; writing teaching; content validity; backwash effects.
【摘 要】写作测试是一种综合测试,它不仅能考查学生的输出性技能,同时也能考查学生的接收性技能,不仅可以测验学生的词汇、用法、语法等语言要素,也可以测验学生的组织能力、分析能力、表达能力、逻辑推理、对各种语体的掌握等。它能同时测试语言的各个层次和范畴,所以说,写作测试能真正反映一个人的语言能力。
基于近十几年来(1992--2003)的情况调查,我国大学生的水平有了很大的提高,但是英语写作能力一直停滞不前。本文就其原因对大学英语四级、六级中的写作测试部分的内容效度加以分析,并把写作测试部分的评分标准与高考、美国托福考试等考试中的英语写作的评分标准进行比较之后发现,大学英语四、六级考试的写作测试的内容效度、词数要求、命题形式和评分标准等都存在一定的问题。这对大学生英语写作教学产生了一定的负面影响,同时也暴露了大学生写作中存在的一些普遍问题,例如内容贫乏、语言干瘪等。本文分析了写作测试和写作教学存在的多种问题,并对此提出了一些建议,旨在提高学生的写作能力和改进写作教学。
【关键词】大学英语四、六级考试;写作测试;写作教学;内容效度;后效作用。
1.Introduction
In recent years, the college students’ English ability has apparently improved.
However, students have hardly made any progress in English writing ability. The scoring rates in such parts as ing, reading, vocabulary and grammar of CET-4/6 have gradually increased, but the average marks of the writing part always range from 6 to 7. In order to find out the reasons for the low marks in the writing part, many experts and scholars have done a lot of investigation and research. Some believe that it has something to do with the examination-oriented education system which underestimates students’ writing ability[1].Some think that the research of theories on college English writing teaching is not enough[2]. All these analyses have yielded certain positive results. However, they haven’t integrated testing with teaching organically, proceeding either simply from CET-4/6 or simply from college English writing teaching. This thesis based on a detailed analysis of the content validity and the scoring criteria of writing tests in CET-4/6, points out the harmful backwash effects of CET-4/6 writing tests on college English writing teaching, and provides several useful suggestions on college English writing teaching.
2.Development of Language Testing
2.1 Different approaches to language testing
“Carroll(1968) provides the following definition of a test: a psychological or education test is a procedure designed to elicit certain behavior from which one can make inferences about certain characteristics of an individual” [3].
Generally speaking, there are three main periods in the development of language testing: pre-scientific testing, psychometric-structuralist testing, communicative language testing (or psycholinguistic-sociolinguistic testing). Accordingly, “there exist four main approaches to language testing: the essay-translation approach, the structuralist approach, the integrative approach, and the communicative approach”[4].
In the pre-scientific stage, people believe that language testing just means checking whether or not students have remembered the knowledge of a language. The essay-translation approach is commonly referred to as the pre-scientific stage of language testing. No special skill or expertise in testing is required: the subjective judgment of the teacher is considered to be of paramount importance. Tests usually consist of essay writing, translation, and grammatical analysis. The test also have a heavy literary and cultural bias[5].
In 1900s, the structural linguistics and behaviorist psychology occupied the leading position. Structural linguistics believes that language is a system of speech sounds, arbitrarily assigned to the objects, stated and referred for human communication. The theory of behaviorist psychology is also called S-R theory. It is characterized by emphasis on externally observable response(R) to specific stimuli(S). Behaviorist sees language as a series of learned response to stimuli. Under the influence of the structural linguistics and behaviorist psychology, the psychometric-structuralist testing and the structuralist approach come into being. This approach is characterized by the view that language learning is chiefly concerned with the systematic acquisition of a set of habits. It draws on the work of structural linguistics, especially the importance of contrastive analysis and the need to identify and measure the learner’s mastery of the discrete elements of the target language : phonology, vocabulary and grammar. The skill of listening, speak, reading, and writing are also separated from each other as much as possible because it is considered essential to test one thing at a time. As a result, the need for statistical measures of reliability and validity is considered to be of the utmost importance: hence the popularity of the discrete point testing. Discrete point testing refers to the testing of one element at one time, item by item. Multiple choice is the typical example of it . However, discrete point testing neglects the context and discourse. In the 1970s, people who believe in the unitary competence hypothesis(UCH) advocate the integrative approach .This approach involves the testing of language in context and is thus concerned primarily with meaning and the total communicative effect of discourse. Thus, integrative tests are concerned with a global view of proficiency and are often designed to assess the learner’s ability to use two or more skills simultaneously. Integrative tests are best characterized by the use of cloze testing and of dictation [6] as well as writing composition, making notes while listening to a lecture, etc. Nowadays, the communicative language testing becomes more and more important and popular. Testing means not communicative testing of language but the testing of communicative language. Communicative tests are concerned primarily with how language is used in communication. It aims to incorporate tasks which approximate as closely as possible to those facing the students in real life. Success is judged in terms of the effectiveness of the communication which takes place rather than formal linguistic accuracy [7]. 2.2 Relationship between testing and teaching Both language testing and language teaching are based on linguistics and psychology. They followed the disciplinary trends in linguistic and psychological theories. Both testing and teaching are so closely interrelated that it is virtually impossible to work in either field without being constantly concerned with the other. The proper relationship between testing and teaching is that of partnership. Tests may be constructed primarily as devices to reinforce learning and to motivate the students or primarily as a means of assessing the students’ performance in the language. Standardized tests and public examinations, in fact, may exert such a considerable
Influence on the average teachers that they are often helpful to decide the kind of teaching that takes place before the tests. Over the years language teachers who want to be able to use tests as part of their classroom teaching[8].
The effect of testing and learning is known as backwash [9]. Backwash can be harmful or beneficial. If a test is regarded as important, the preparation for it can come to dominate all teaching and learning activities. And if the test content and test techniques are at variance with the objectives of the course, then there is likely to be harmful backwash. If the skill of writing, for example, is tested only by multiple-choice items, then there is great pressure to practice such items rather than practice the skill of writing itself. This is clearly undesirable. However, backwash needs not always be harmful; indeed it can be positively beneficial. When the teaching is good and proper, and the testing is not, teaching is then likely to suffer from harmful backwash. When teaching is poor or inappropriate, testing is then able to exert a beneficial backwash. Testing should be supportive of good teaching and , when necessary, exert a corrective influence on bad teaching. If testing always had a beneficial backwash on teaching, it would have a much better reputation amongst teachers.
Besides, the teaching profession can also make two contributions to the improvement of testing: they can write better tests themselves, and they can put pressure on others, including professional testers and examining boards, to improve their tests [14] For example, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) originally consisted of only multiple-choice items, but no writing tests. Many years passed, testers maintained that it was simply impossible to test the writing ability of hundreds of thousands of candidates by means of a composition: it was impracticable and the results, anyhow, would be unreliable. “Yet in 1986 a writing test (Test of Written English), in which candidates actually have to write for 30minutes, was introduced as a supplement to TOEFL, and already many colleges in the United States are requiring applications to take this test in addition to TOEFL. The principal reason given for this change was pressure from English language teachers who had finally convinced those responsible for the TOEFL of the overriding need for a writing test which would provide beneficial backwash”[10].
3. Testing the Writing Skills
3.1 The writing skills
Four major skills in communication through language are often broadly defined as listening, speaking, reading and writing. In many situations where English is taught for general purposes, these skills should be carefully integrated and used to perform as many genuinely communicative tasks as possible. Where this is the case, it is important for the test writer to concentrate on those types of test items, which appear directly relevant to the ability to use language for real-life communication. As regards writing, test writers usually assess the students’ writing ability in the form of letters, reports, memos, messages, instructions, and accounts of past events, etc.
The writing skills are complex and sometimes difficult to teach and to test, requiring mastery not only of grammatical and rhetorical devices, but also of conceptual and judgmental elements. Heaton “grouped the many and varied skills necessary for writing good prose into five general components or main areas:
Language use: the ability to write correct and appropriate sentences;
Mechanical skills: the ability to use correctly those conventions peculiar to the written language – e.g. punctuation, spelling;
Treatment of content: the ability to think creatively and develop thoughts, excluding all irrelevant information;
Stylistic skills: the ability to manipulate sentences and paragraphs, and use language effectively;
Judgmental skills: the ability to write in an appropriate manner for a particular purpose with a particular audience in mind, together with an ability to select, organize and order relevant information [11].
3.2 Different writing tasks and different standards
An attempt should made to determine the types of writing tasks with which the students are in face of every day. Royal Society of Arts explicitly states the kinds of writing tasks its examinations test and the standards of writing expected in performance of those tasks.
A successful candidate will have passed an examination designed to test ability to produce a selection of the following types of writing:
(1)Basic level: letter; postcard; diary entry; forms. It requires no confusing errors of grammar or vocabulary; a piece of writing legible and readily intelligible; able to produce simple unsophisticated sentences.
(2)Intermediate level: as basic level, plus guide; set of instructions. It requires accurate grammar, vocabulary and spelling, though possibly with some mistakes which do not destroy communication; handwriting generally legible; expression clear and appropriate, using a fair range of language; able to link themes and points coherently.
(3)Advanced level: as intermediate level, plus newspaper reports; notes. It requires
extremely high standards of grammar, vocabulary and spelling; Easily legible handwriting; no obvious limitations on range of language candidate is able to use accurately and appropriately; ability to produce organized, coherent writing, displaying considerable sophistication[12].
3.3 Obtaining reliable scoring of writing
In order to score as reliably as possible, scorers should obtain appropriate and reliable scoring of writing. The process of scoring can be either holistic or analytic.
3.3.1 Holistic scoring
Holistic scoring (often referred to as impressionistic scoring ) involves the assignment of a single to a piece of writing on the basis of an overall impression of it as a whole[17] Each paper is scored using an agreed scale and an examinee’s score is the average of the combined marks. The notion of impression marking specifically excludes any attempt to separate the discrete features of a composition for scoring purposes.
Holistic scoring has two main advantages:1)it is very rappid;2)if well conceived and well organized, holistic scoring in which each student’s work is scored by four different trained scorers can result in high scorer reliability. However, the problem is that it is affected by fatigue, carelessness, prejudice, etc, of the scorers[13]
3.3.2 Analytic scoring
Ways of scoring which require a separate score for each of a number of aspects of a task are said to be analytic. These aspects usually include: grammar, vocabulary, mechanics, fluency, and cohesion.
There are a number of advantages to analytic scoring. First, it disposes of the problem of uneven development of sub-skills in individuals. Secondly, scorers are compelled to consider aspects of performance which they might otherwise ignore. And thirdly, the very fact that the scorer has to give a number of scores will tend to make the scoring more reliable. While it is doubtful that scorers can judge each of the aspects independently of the others, the mere fact of having five “shots” at assessing the student’s performance should lead to greater reliability.
The main disadvantage of the analytic method is the time that it takes. Even with practice, scoring will take longer than with the holistic method. A second disadv- antage is that concentration on the different aspects may divert attention from the overall effect of the piece of writing. Inasmuch as the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts, a composition score may be very reliable but not valid [14]
3.3.3 Holistic scoring or analytic scoring?
“The choice between holistic and analytic scoring depends in part on the purpose of the testing. Then the choice also depends on the choice also depends on the circumstances of scoring” [15]. Particular circumstances will determine whether the analytic method to the holistic method or the holistic method will be the more economical way of obtaining the required level of scorer reliability .
4. An Analysis of Writing Tests in CET-4/6 (From 1992 to 2003)
4.1 Introduction of CET4/6
College English Test, including Band Four and Band Six (CET-4/6), in line with the Syllabus for College English Teaching, is a national standardized English Test organized by the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education. CET- 4/6was prepared from the end of 1986, and officially implemented in 1987, originally in imitation of TOEFL, widely administered standardized test of proficiency in English, developed and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the USA.
4.1.1 Constituents of CET-4/6
CET-4/6 aims at propelling the implementation of College English Teaching Syllabus. CET-4/6 consists of five parts: listening comprehension, reading compre- hension, vocabulary and grammar, cloze, and writing .The writing is a subjective part.
4.1.2 Aim of CET-4/6 writing
In order to test students’ ability that how to use English to express their emotion and how to communicate with others. That is to say the main aim of the test is how to use language[16]. The syllabus for CET-4/6 has fixed the type, content, and time arrangement of the testing of each part. The quality of the test can be judged by many criteria, such as validity, reliability, difficulty, discrimination, practicality, and backwash, etc. This thesis will mainly focus on the analysis of the content validity and the scoring criteria of writing tests in CET-4/6.
4.2 Validity of writing
Validity is the most important quality of test interpretation or use, or the extent to which the inferences or decisions we make on the basis of test scores are meaningful, appropriate and useful. Briefly, the validity of a test is the extent to which it measures what it is supposed to measure and nothing else.
One commonly referred to and most important type of validity is content validity. This thesis gives a detailed analysis of the content validity of the CET-4/6 writing tests. Writing as a test way, the writing part is the most validity part, especially in backwash teaching.
4.3 Content validity
A test has content validity if its content constitutes a representative sample of the language skills, structures, etc, with which it is meant to be concerned .This kind of validity depends on a careful analysis of the language being tested and of the particular course objectives. In order to judge whether or not a test has content validity, we need a specification of the skills or structures, etc, that it is meant to cover. Such a specification should be made at a very early stage in test construction . A comparison of test specification of test should be made at a very early stage in test construction. A comparison of test specification and test content is the basis for judgments as to content validity.
We judge the content validity of a test generally from the following three main aspects:1) whether or not the testing content is relevant to the testing aim?2) whether or not the testing content is representative?3) whether or not the testing content is fit for the testee.
4.3.1 Whether or not the testing content is relevant to the testing aim?
The requirements of writing in the syllabus for CET-4 are that: the tests should 1)write a composition of about 100 words within 30 minutes, and 2) make sure that the composition they write is able to express their ideas and thoughts correctly, no significant errors of grammar, and coherent in meaning. The aim of the writing part is to test the student’s basic ability of using English to express thoughts in written form.
The requirements of writing in the syllabus for CET-6 is basically the same as those for CET-4 only changes “100 words ” for “120 words ”, “basic ability” for “general ability”.
The requirements of 100 words and 120 words respectively in CET-4 and CET-6 seem to be consistent with the basic ability and general ability of expression thoughts descried in the syllabus for CET-4and CET-6. However, the requirements in the number of words of CET-4/6 actually cannot accord with the practical aim of communication of writing.
About in the beginning five gears of the implementation of CET-4/6, the tests is required to write a composition in which the first sentence of each of the three paragraphs has been given, and the tests just needs to extend the three paragraphs according to those first sentences. Generally speaking, this requirement is reasonable. Because the given three first sentences contain about 40 words, then the number of the words of the whole composition is about 140/160 words, and the length of a composition of 140/160 words is generally considered sufficient for and argumentation. However, the form of the writing in CET-4/6 has already changed. The tests is required now to write a complete composition according to a given topic and outline, but still about 100/120 words, This requirement actually cut short the length of the composition. We can find that it is impossible for the given topic and the outline to be clearly stated within 100/120 words. For example:
(1)We Need to Broaden our Knowledge (June,1994,CET-6)
Science and technology are indispensable to the development of our society.
Social science and natural science permeate each other.
College students in modern society should possess extensive knowledge.
(2)Looking Forward to the 21st Century (June,1992, CET-6)
How is the future of the development of science and technology in the new century?
What benefit the society can get from the new science and technology?
What problem will be caused by the new science and technology?
What is your view about the challenge of the new century?
If we require the testes to write such a complex composition of just about 100/120 words, it is obviously impossible for the testes to use specific details to clearly state their own opinions, and the composition they write is very likely to devoid of content. In this case, the practical aim of communication of writing cannot be achieved. Therefore, the testing content and the testing aim of writing in CET-4/6 are not quite relevant.
4.3.2 Whether or not the testing content is representative?
We know that linguistic competence is an abstract concept, invisible, and impossible to measure directly, so we can only test its visible manifestation and then make inferences about the competence. If we want to test the vocabulary of student, for example, it is impossible for us to test all the words they learn, and we just need to take a sample to test. In this case, the representativeness of the sample can directly influence the testing validity. Therefore, we can understand the representativeness of the sample from the point whether or not the sample fully embodies all the contents that are required to be tested.
In recent years, the writing tests of CET-4/6 are almost all in one form, requiring the testes to write a composition according to the given topic and outline. The outline restricts the content and the structure of the composition and also the pattern of the statement because almost all the testes write the composition simply according to the sequence of the items of the outline. And we can also see from the CET-4/6 writing tests of recent years that the structure of the outline is always in the inductive method. For example:
(1)Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary?(June, 2000,CET-4)
Many people think it necessary to have a test of spoken English. The reasons are that…
Some people hold different opinions…
My view is that…
(2) Should Reading be Selective or Extensive? ( June, 1999,CET-4/6)
Some people think that reading should be selective.
Some people think that reading should be extensive.
My view.
All testees write composition simply according to these outlines, and finally reach the similar conclusions like “So/Therefore…”, or “I think/In my opinion…”. Almost every year, the testee is required to write an argumentation rather than any other different style of writing. What’s more, the argumentations are almost all in one form,
Which lead to the fact that the testee always writes the similar composition ever year.
This kind of testing is not so representative.
4.3.3 Whether or not the testing content is fit for the testee?
“Whether or not the testing content is fit for the testee ?” means that the testing
content should be neither too difficult nor too easy for the testee.
The number of words required in CET-4/6 writing tests is about 100/120.This
Requirement is divorced from the requirements of other relevant English writing tests.
The number of words required in College Entrance Examination (CEE) writing test is
about 120.,while that of CET-4 is 100. Does it mean that the student’s writing ability is weakened after two years’ college English learning?
We can also compare CET-4/6 with TOEFL. There is hardly any difference in the
requirements of such parts as ing, vocabulary, grammar, and reading between the
two . However, the requirement of writing of TOEFL is much higher than that of
CET-4/6.TOEFL require the testee to write a composition of about 250-300 words
Within 30 minutes.
The above comparison shows that the low requirement in the number of words is, to a certain extent, responsible for the fact that the writing ability of Chinese students is far behind their ability in grammar, vocabulary, and reading even now.
What’s more, the requirement of writing a syllogistic argumentation according to
the given topic and outline is not quite fit for the testees, either. The situations given in the CET-4/6 writing tests are usually not meaningful enough. For example:
Changes in the Ownership of House(June,2003,CET-6) [18]
(1)Describe the changes in the ownership of houses according to the chart
(2)Analyze the reasons for these changes
(3)Explain the influences of these changes on the individuals and the society
State-owned
Private
This kind of writing task fails to motivate the testee to write. The testee usually has no practical thing to write, no purpose for writing, no audience in mind when they are writing.
4.4 Scoring criteria
According to the requirement of writing in the syllabus for CET-4/6,the Committee for the Guide of CET-4/6 lays down specific scoring criteria, which are divided into five grades:
2 – badly organized; training of thoughts in a state of chaos; fragmented language; most sentences having significant errors.
5 ¬– basically keeping to the subject; unclearly expressing the thoughts; bad coherence; many significant errors.
8 – basically keeping to the subject; partly unclearly expressing the thoughts; barely coherent writing; quite many linguists errors, some of which significant ones.
11 – keeping to the subject; clearly expressing the thoughts; coherent writing; a few linguistic errors.
14- keeping to the subject; clearly expressing the thoughts; writing in perfect coherence; generally no linguistic errors, only some minor ones.
From the scoring criteria, it is found some problems, firstly, the requirement of highest grade - 14 tends to be simply understood as whether the language is correct or not. In other words, the scorers judge whether the composition is successful or not simply according to the correctness of the language, such as word choice, gram- matical structure, etc, but have no requirements in the expression of content, the rationality of the structure of the discourse, and the use of writing skills. The composition becomes simply the carrier which reflects the linguistic competence, not the means for communication. This kind of scoring criteria of low level will certainly cause many problems to college English writing teaching and learning.
Secondly, if we compare these requirements and scoring criteria of CET-4/6 writing tests with those in the writing textbooks, or with those of the English writing tests in foreign countries, like TOEFL, we can find many differences.
Fawcett believes that an excellent English composition should at least includes: 1)a clear thesis statement; 2)two to four sentences that develop the thesis statement; 3)details, facts, and examples to develop each paragraph; 4)a logical order of paragraphs[19].
The writing test in TOEFL adopts the six-grade marking system. The criteria for the highest mark-6 are as follows;
Clearly demonstrates competence in writing on both the rhetorical and systematic levels, though it may have occasional errors. A paper in this category
is well organized and well developed;
effectively addresses the writing tasks;
uses appropriate details to support a thesis or illustrate ideas;
shows unity, coherence, and progression;
displays consistent facility in the use of language;
demonstrates syntactic variety and appropriate word choice.
From the comparison of these two kinds of scoring criteria, we can find out at least two differences.
(1) About the content, CET – 4/6 has no requirement, while TOEFL requires adequate details to support the thesis or illustrate ideas.
(2) About the language, CET – 4/6 requires no linguistic errors basically, while TOEFL has specific requirements in choice of words and building of sentences, like the change of words and sentences.
Of course, regarding the English level of college students in our country and other actual situations, the requirements and criteria should be a little different. However, this doesn’t mean that we need such low requirements and criteria. This kind of requirements and scoring criteria are harmful to the improvement of students’ writing skills and of college English writing teaching.
5. Harmful Backwash Effects of CET-4/6 Writing Tests on College English Writing Teaching
First, teachers are prone to teach writing catering to CET-4/6, regardless the development of students’ ability. Because of the low requirement of just about 100/120 words in the CET-4/6 writing tests, teachers usually ask students to write this kind of short composition as classroom practice or homework.. Maybe it is helpful for improving students’ ability to deal with the examination as it provides a similar situation like a mock exam. However, it is obviously impossible for the students to use specific details to clearly express their own thoughts in such a short composition, and what they write is very likely to be devoid of content. According to an investigation [20], 51% of the compositions written by college students are deficient in detail. The biggest problem of the English writing ability of Chinese college students
lies in the deficiency of the content, or in the insufficiently unearthing the subject and detail. Both teachers and students mistakenly consider 100/120 words enough to test the writing ability and linguistic competence. What’s worse, because the given outlines in the writing tests of CET-4/6 are always in syllogistic form, teachers usually strengthen students’ ability in writing this syllogistic composition in classroom. As a result, many college students are not able to write any composition of practical aim of communication other than this dull and mechanical syllogistic one.
Second, students are prone to recite the model essays before taking the CET-4/6 in order to get a high mark in the examination .For example, the testees are always required to write an argumentation rather than any other different style of writing. What’s more, the argumentations are almost all in one form, writing a syllogistic composition according to the given topic and outline. As a result, most students recite various model essays. In this case, there is hardly any difference in the composition they write. The process of writing is not a creative activity any more.
Third, teachers are prone to consider the whole writing teaching as a process of correcting students’ composition, finding out linguistic errors, and then giving a mark according to the scoring criteria of CET-4/6 writing tests. When teachers correct and comment on students’ work, they simply concentrate on the superficial grammatical errors like the tense, voice of verbs, the usage of articles, the collocation of words, etc, but pay little attention to the overall arrangement of the discourse, the skills in the choice of words and building of sentences, the handling of the rhetorical figures, let alone the details of the content, We know that the requirement of “no grammatical errors” is far inadequate. For example, given a topic" My Ideal Job ",a college student can write a composition. So can a middle school student. Both of can clearly express their thoughts without any grammatical error. However, their writing abilities are certainly at different levels:
(1)Watching too much TV will affect your studies.(Low level)
Heavy exposure to TV will affect one’s studies.(High level)
(2)Many college students like to be teachers.(Low level)
The teaching career enjoys much popularity among college students.(High level)
Obviously, both of these expressions have no grammatical error, but they show students’ different writing abilities. If students are satisfied with the expressions of low level, their motivation to learn language will be weakened, and they would not like to spend time in improving the expression. So it is proposed to treat the whole writing teaching process seriously.
These are the three main harmful backwash effects of the writing tests in CET-4/6on college English writing teaching.
6. Suggestions on College English Writing Teaching
Through the analyses of the content validity, the scoring criteria, and the harmful backwash effects of the writing tests in CET4/6, several suggestions are provided on college English writing teaching.
First, the most important thing for the English teachers to do is to concentrate on the improvement of students’ writing ability, not the improvement of their marks of the writing tests in CET-4/6.This is not only a principle but also an essential aim of college English writing teaching.
Second, it is suggested that teachers practice students’ skills of writing compositions of different styles and registers, but not the syllogistic argumentations in their writing, not recite or use the regular and model sentences.
Third, teachers should choose appropriate topics and meaningful situations for students to write. The topics and situations are suggested to be such that they motivate students to write and to communicate with others in daily life, in order to improve their expression and speaking language.
Fourth, when teachers correct and comment on students’ compositions, they are expected to concentrate on the overall writing ability of students, including arrangement of the discourse, the skills in the choice of words and building of sentences, the handing of the rhetorical figures, the details of the content as well as the grammatical knowledge. This is helpful to improve their linguistic competence.
7.Conclusion
Both testing and teaching are so closely interrelated that it is virtually impossible to work in either field without being constantly concerned with the other. The proper relationship between testing and teaching is that of partnership. College English Test is a national standardized English test, to which both the universities and the society pay more attention. Writing test is a kind of integrative testing which examines both students’ productive skill and receptive skills. As a result it can help students how to use English to express their emotion and how to communicate with others fluently, but it requires effective content, valid outline, as well as effective English writing teaching. College English teaching and learning are both examination-oriented. They need interflow at any time.
The analyses in this thesis prove that the content validity of CET-4/6 writing tests is not so satisfactory and the scoring criteria are not so proper . Meanwhile, they exert many harmful backwash effects on college English writing teaching. In order to solve the problem, it is suggested that college English teachers can change their English writing teaching and concentrate on the improvement of students’ writing ability. There are some other issues about CET-4/6 writing test that remains to be solved. These and other related problems are to be further explored in future.
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