Impact of entrance exams on oral English proficiency among learners in china
Abstract
The literature review of various sources on the effects of oral English on English teaching indicates that tests such as CET-4 and CET-6 have a profound impact on the teaching methodologies employed in the teaching English in higher learning institutions in the country. Conducting an adequate assessment of the spoken English tests informs the decision by lecturers in colleges on the approaches they need to adopt, such as instructional materials as well as teaching content. The nationwide spoken test majors on a few aspects of oral English, leaving other crucial elements equally crucial in achieving the objective of oral English in English teaching. Thus, it is necessary to review the spoken English tests to positively impact oral examinations on English teaching in China. The tests’ objective can also be achieved if appropriate measures are taken in the teaching and learning of English, such as teaching methodology.
Background of oral English assessment in china
In China, the college English Test-Spoken English Test is the exam used to test learners’ competence in oral English. The test is only sat by a section of students who pass the CET-4 and CET-6 with predetermined score levels. The test comprises three parts. The first part involves a question and answers conversation, which takes approximately five minutes (Sun et al., 2011). The second part comprises personal statements to be spoken by the examinee and a panel discussion. The last part involves the examiners asking additional questions to the examinees to test their oral English proficiency. Generally, exams can take different forms, and each type of assessment serves a given purpose (Luxia, 2007). All the four skills in literacy are crucial in English teaching, and thus, an evaluation of the learners’ speaking ability is essential in evaluating the learner’s proficiency in the language. The ability to use English in different contexts requires language skills such as speaking. Therefore, a valid test must also assess the learners speaking skills. When one is said to be fluent in a language, he or she must be good in all the language skills, including speaking. The development of learners in language skills is often unbalanced, making it hard to adopt one test to test the learners’ ability in English. Thus, incorporating the spoken tests is simply to ensure that all the language skills are assessed to give a clear picture of the learner’s capability.
There have been several changes to the spoken tests in china, such as changing the exams scoring system where there is no pass or fail. The current CET-4 standard score focuses on percentage tiles that apply to all the learners who attend the exam. Such discrepancies are likely to affect the positive impact of spoken tests in shaping English teaching in the country (Wang, 2005). According to the Chinese syllabus, college English majors are required to take oral English classes in years one and two. Thus, such learners need to have a good background in oral English to be adequately be prepared for college oral English classes (Gao, 2010). This study will focus on the review of scholarly materials on the impact of entrance exams such as College English Tests on oral English teaching china by comparing the sources’ information to offer suggestions to improve oral English skills among learners.
Literature review
Oral English is essential in being proficient in the English language. According to Zhang & Elder (2009), since the implementation of spoken tests in college English tests, there has been a growth in proficiency in student’s oral communication in English. In a study conducted to investigate the washback effect of CET, the research indicates that CET has got a positive washback impact on teaching and learning in colleges (Yang, 2003). However, several challenges are still facing oral English learning in China. For instance, the classroom teaching model used in teaching oral English in China fails to meet the student’s needs. The classroom teaching model makes teachers dominate the learning environment, denying them the opportunity to improve in oral English. Another challenge in oral English learning in China is that most students have low self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is crucial in helping an individual engage in a specific behavior. Students lack the courage to express themselves orally in English, and this remains a significant challenge for learners to do well in oral English. This research is supported by Cheng & Curtis (2004) in a study conducted on the washback effect of CET, which encompasses spoken tests. According to the research, tests influence factors such as self-concept, motivation, study practices, and anxiety. Therefore, a student’s proficiency in oral English goes a long way in helping them understand other language skills such as listening, which are essential in English teaching.
There focus on College Entrance Exams has resulted in the neglect of student-spoken English ability among English teachers in China. The entrance exam is considered the goal of teaching. Since oral proficiency tests are not included in the junior classes, students and teachers do not place much emphasis on training oral English. Most teachers are focused on teaching other language skills such as writing, which is assessed in the early entrance exams. The teaching methods employed by teachers also have a negative impact on students learning oral English. In a survey conducted on junior students, about 90% of the students indicated that their teachers use semi-Chinese and semi-English teaching methods. The same was supported by Zhang & Elder (2009), who assert that teachers fail to build interest in spoken English among learners in china. According to the author, the entrance exams have made teachers adopt an exam-oriented education. As such, teachers in the country are mostly focused on preparing students to achieve little regard for students’ interests. Exam-based education makes teachers adopt the traditional teaching methods that are not effective in cultivating oral proficiency. Nurturing oral ability among students is mostly a question of interest and cannot be accomplished overnight by only making learners copy the learning materials.
The College Entrance Exams make learners only want to improve in oral English ability mainly for exam purposes. In a survey conducted by Li, Zhong & Suen (2012) on the strength of learners’ oral English ability, most of the learners interviewed mainly indicate that they need to improve their spoken English for exam purposes. Although the entrance exams can help students improve their spoken ability, doing it merely for exams bars them from reaching the expected standards. The same is supported by another survey conducted in Zhangjiagang Jiyang high school, which showed that students are more focused on increasing the test grade instead of learning English (Henrichsen, 2007). The English certificate is perceived to be a leeway for a more successful career. For instance, most of the Chinese higher learning institutions require students to perform well in CET-4 for their undergraduate degree, and companies also demand the certificate when applying for jobs. The College English Test band 4 is a speaking test that assesses areas such as accuracy, grammar, complexity, coherence, relevance, and flexibility, which demands a higher level of English (Zhang & Elder, 2009). The test and teaching methods in china are not focused on improving learners’ oral skills, making it familiar for a Chinese college student to stammer when using English to communicate with others.
According to Zhang & Elder (2009), College English Test has brought a positive impact on how English is taught in schools. According to the authors who examined the washback effect of the CET-4. Zhang, & Elder (2009) opine that exams have a brought a positive washback impact to how the language is taught in China. However, the major challenge is that the exam is only administered to a given section of students, which limits the test’s ability to improve the leaners’ English speaking ability. In an empirical study of the CET washback effect different stakeholders applauded the test for its design, administration, and the recently adopted (Xiang-dong, 2007). The positive washback impact was greater than the negative washback effect, mainly due to the administrators’ misuse of the test and not the test itself. CET has resulted in significant changes to the learning and teaching of English in schools. The test has effectively helped in reflecting the actual English proficiency of learners in higher learning institutions.
Result and analysis
The literature review results shed light on various areas in the teaching and learning of English in multiple levels of education that need to be improved to build learners’ ability in spoken English. From the literature review, it is apparent that china administers different tests, but most do not assess students’ oral English ability. Given the impact that speaking tests have on teaching and learning of oral English, more has to be done to ensure that the oral skill is nurtured among learners.
There current English teaching and learning need to be changed by employing different modes of instruction. The focus has mainly brought the challenges in the teaching methods on exam-oriented education. More attention has been given on the written aspect of language because it starts to be examined from the junior level. Teachers should learn to vary their teaching methods depending on teaching objectives to stimulate learners’ interest (Cheng & Wang, 2004). Oral English is also essential in English teaching, and as such, teachers need to emphasize the learning of oral English. Students also need to acknowledge the relevance of oral English and take personal initiative to improve listening and speaking ability.
According to Jin & Jin (2008), students should be engaged in English teaching depending on their aptitude to help develop their speaking abilities depending on learners’ needs. Most entrance tests are focused on language skills that can be developed over time. However, speaking skills cannot be established fast because it demands a longtime effort to ensure that different aspects of oral ability are all nurtured. For instance, teachers should allow students to learn pronunciation step by step. As a result, teachers should reach out to every student when teaching (Irawan, 2019). One way of making it possible is by asking random questions to at least every student has the opportunity to answer.
From the literature review, it has been established that teachers often employ semi-English and semi-Chinese teaching methods when teaching, which significantly limits the English language atmosphere in the classroom. The learning environment has a significant impact on learners, especially the young. Teachers should have their classes in English so that learners are under the influence of the situation to enhance their sense of English (Yao, Zhang & Li, 2019). Although students’ vocabulary is limited at a junior level, teachers can use English that is easy to understand. Teachers also need to promote students thinking in English by asking questions in English. Chinese should only be used to assist students in learning English better (Yi’An Wu., 2001). Thus, teachers of English are required to use little mother tongue as possible during the instruction process. Improving the English learning environment will help to be confident with regards to their oral communication.
Teachers need to help the students how to learn the English language well by promoting learning enthusiasm. Various classroom activities can help learners improve in oral English, depending on how the teacher employs them. Learning should not only encourage input knowledge, but should also help learners apply knowledge in the various aspects of life (Zhang & Elder, 2009). Oral English can effectively be learned by engaging in multiple activities that are vital for oral training. For instance, teachers can incorporate situational teaching to help students relate what they learn in class and the outside environment.
Conclusion
College entrance exams are essential in understanding the level of learners concerning a given subject. Spoken tests need to be included in all the entrance exams to ensure that they shape the English language teaching in schools. Oral English is crucial in learning English because learners too effectively with other students and teachers use the language. As such, student’s proficiency in oral English is the key to understanding other skills such as writing and listening. Apart from the lack of emphasis on spoken tests in the entrance exams, the general way the teaching of English is conducted in china has got a significant impact on learners’ oral proficiency. Teachers need to move away from the traditional teaching approach to ensure that they take an active role. Improving student’s participation will strengthen other aspects such as learner’s attitudes, which is also vital in enhancing student interest. Most of the English teaching approaches’ challenges are due to emphasis on examination-based education, which denies the students the chance to improve in the language skills to the expected standards. Equally, most tests do not examine oral English, making it a challenge to adopt appropriate mechanisms to help learners improve English proficiency. As such, changes need to do to the college English test to ensure that weight is given to speaking tests.
References
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