Face validity and washback effects of the shortened PTE Academic - insights from teachers in Mainland China

Aug 29, 2026

Uploaded by Dozel

Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), a high-stakes English proficiency test, was revised in 2021 with a shorter duration reduced from 3 h to 2 h by changing task numbers and sections. This research examines how teachers perceive and adapt teaching after the revisions, focusing on face validity and washback effects in mainland China. Semi-structured interviews with four experienced PTE Academic trainers show strong perceived face validity, higher perceived difficulty, improved student language competence, yet continued reliance on test-oriented strategies indicating mixed washback.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background and rationale

Research gaps

Study focus and approach

Wang et al. Language Testing in Asia (2024) 14:32 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-024-00302-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-024-00302-3) Language Testing in Asia RESEARCH Open Access Face validity and washback effects of the shortened PTE Academic: insights from teachers in Mainland China Jingwen Wang1*, Ying Zheng1 andYi Zou1 *Correspondence: [Jingwen.Wang@soton.ac.uk](Jingwen.Wang@soton.ac.uk) 1 Department of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, University of Southampton, B65, Avenue Campus, Highfield Road, Southampton SO17 1BF, UK Abstract Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), a high-stakes English language proficiency test, underwent substantial revisions in 2021. The test duration was reduced from 3 h to 2 h by reducing specific task numbers and sections. This study investigates the impact of these changes on teachers’ perceptions and teaching practices, areas previously underexplored in language assessment literature. It focuses on the implications of the test’s modifications, examining the face validity and washback effects through the lens of teachers in mainland China. Semi-structured interviews with four experienced PTE Academic test trainers, who were familiar with both the original and revised test formats, reveals that the revised PTE Academic is perceived to maintain strong face validity, particularly noted in its academic authenticity, balanced skill structure, and perceived result accuracy. Additionally, most teachers perceived an increase in test difficulty. A mixed washback effect was observed: while improvements in students’ language competence—a positive outcome—were noted, teachers also reported a continued reliance on teaching test-oriented strategies for higher-scoring tasks, indicating negative washback. This study highlights the significant implications of reducing PTE Academic’s duration and offers targeted recommendations for its future improvement. These suggestions aim to enhance students’ academic language skills, thereby better aligning PTE Academic with the practical language abilities required in university settings. Keywords: PTE Academic, Test duration reduction, Face validity, Washback effects, Perceived difficulty, Teacher perspective Introduction Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), launched in 2009, is a globally recognised computer-based English language proficiency test. It is primarily designed to assess English competence in academic settings where English is the medium of instruction (Zheng & De Jong, 2011). Over the years, PTE Academic has increasingly become popular among international students for university applications in English-speaking countries, thus establishing itself as a widely-used tool for admission (Pae, 2012). In 2021, PTE Academic underwent significant revisions, reducing its duration from 3 h to 2 h by reducing specific task numbers and sections (Clesham, 2021). This trend towards © The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://](http://)[ ](http://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.)[.](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.) Wang et al. Language Testing in Asia (2024

FAQs

What specific changes were made to PTE Academic in 2021?

The test duration was reduced from 3 h to 2 h by reducing specific task numbers and sections.

How do teachers evaluate the shortened PTE Academic’s face validity?

Teachers perceive that the revised test maintains strong face validity, citing academic authenticity, a balanced skill structure, and perceived result accuracy.

What washback effects did teachers observe after the duration reduction?

A mixed washback effect was observed: teachers reported improvements in students’ language competence, while also noting continued reliance on test-oriented strategies for higher-scoring tasks.

Aug 29, 2026

Uploaded by Dozel