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M.Djurić/ScriptaManent4(1)142714

MelitaDjurić

DealingwithSituationsofPositiveand

NegativeWashback

Abstract

Thearticledealswiththecomplexityofawashbackphenomenoninlanguagetesting.It

focusesonitspositiveeffectswithinaninstitutionaswellasonthesituationsof

negativewashback.Washbackispresentedasastimulusforachangeandasabridge

forefficientcommunicationbetweenteachersandtesters.Certainchangesasaresultof

positivewashbackpointattheoortunitieswhichatestinginstitutionhaswhenit

organizes,designsandadministerscriterionreferencedtests.

Thecomplexityofwashbackisconfirmedwhentheteachers’perspectiveisdiscussed.

Teachertesterrelationshipandthelackofteacherinsightintotestingmaycontributeto

negativewashback.Withinthisframe,concretesituationsaredescribedandlessons

learnedaresummarized.Intheconclusion,theteachersandtestersareremindedof

professionalandethicalstandardsandoftheirresponsibilitytowardstheirclients,

studentsandtesttakers.

Keywords:washback,STANAGtests,criterionreferencedtests,testvalidity.

1.Introduction

Theconceptofwashbackcoversbothteachingandtestingsituations.Washbackis

generallyknownastheeffectoftestingonteaching.AldersonandWall(1993,as

citedinFulcherandDavidson,2007:224)describedi