A Study of the Effect of Entrance Examination of the Universities (EEOU) on the EFL Teaching Methodology in Iran

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Cipher

This qualitative study examines the washback effect of Iran’s Entrance Examination of the Universities (EEOU) on EFL teaching and learning methodology. It investigates whether washback exists, characterizes its nature, and evaluates how the EEOU context promotes beneficial or harmful washback. Findings confirm washback in general and identify negative washback effects specifically linked to the EEOU context, influencing classroom instruction and learning outcomes through test-driven expectations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Washback and test impact

Background

Structure of the EEOU English subset

Types of test items

Research context

A Study of the Effect of Entrance Examination of the Universities (EEOU) on the EFL Teaching Methodology in Iran Hadi Salehi, Ramlee Mustapha, and Melor Binti Md Yunus (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia) doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.3n.1p.59 Abstract and learning activities goes back at least four decades. Although educators frequently claim that they do not want to teach to a test, the reality is that every educator wants his/her students to be successful. Decision makers, teachers, and students equate this success in large part with high test scores, resulting in classroom instruction that is reflective of test practices and/or expectations. The effect that testing has on teaching and instruction is a phenomenon referred to as washback. However, this phenomenon has been examined empirically by only a few studies in the field of language testing. This qualitative study aimed to (i) investigate the existence and nature of the washback effect, and (ii) examine the role of EEOU context in promoting beneficial washback. The findings confirmed the existence of washback phenomenon in general and negative washback effects of EEOU context on language teaching and learning in particular. Introduction Washback or backwash refers to the influence of testing on teaching and learning (Alderson & Wall, 1993) . The concept is rooted in the notion that tests or examinations can and should drive teaching, and hence learning, and is also referred to as measurement-driven instruction and format of the test or the examination and the content and format of the curriculum is encouraged. This is referred to as curriculum alignment by Shepard ( 1991 and 1993) . Although the idea of alignment ~~ ~~ matching the test and the curriculum ~~ ~~ has been descried by example, Iran. This alignment, in which a new or revised examination is introduced into the education system with the aim of improving teaching and learning, is referred to as systemic validity by Frederiksen and Collins (1989), consequential validity by Messick ( 1996), as well as test impact by Bachman and Palmer (1996) and Baker (1991) . Bachman and Palmer ( 1996, pp. 29-35) regard washback as a feature of a wider phenomena known as test impact. They suggest test impact should be viewed in terms of both its micro effects in a classroom as well as its macro effects on educational systems and societies. They stated that just as micro and macro economics have synergistic patterns, a synergism often exists between micro and macro test impact. In many cases, tests both influence and are influenced by the social climates in which they are used. - -rightly or wrongly- by students, teachers, administrators, parents, or the general public, as being used to make important decisions that ration future opportunity as the basis for determining admission to the next layer of education or to employment opportunities' (Chapman & Snyder, 2000, p. 458) . In this case, the highstakes test is the Entrance Examination of Universities (EEOU), taken by approximately 1.5 million Iranian candidates each year in the final year of their secondary schooling. Success in the EEOU is a prerequisite for entry to tertiary education. The results can therefore play a crucial role in decisions on university admission. Background Since1960s, the Entrance Examination of the Universities (EEOU) in Iran has been the sole criterion for the admission into higher education. This national test is a combination of some multiple-choice items and cloze tests regarding most of the courses that the students have been taught during a period of four years study in high school and pre-university level. It is administered in five main groups of students depending on their fields of study in highschool. Some of the topics including English, Persian Literature, Arabic, and Theology will be tested for the students in all the majors. The English section of the test includes 25 multiple-choice items and a

FAQs

What is the washback effect studied in this paper?

Washback refers to the influence of testing on teaching and learning, including how classroom instruction reflects test practices and expectations.

What does the study aim to investigate regarding EEOU?

It aims to examine whether washback exists and what form it takes, and to analyze the role of the EEOU context in promoting beneficial washback.

What were the main findings about EEOU’s impact on EFL teaching and learning?

The study confirms washback in general and reports negative washback effects of the EEOU context on language teaching and learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Cipher