WASHBACK EFFECT OF ALCPT ON CADETS IN TAIWAN: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

This paper presents a study investigating the washback effect of the American Language Course Placement Test (ALCPT) on cadets in a Taiwanese military academy. Over the last decades, washback studies have become even more important in the field of applied linguistics due to the critical role of the high stakes tests for students, teachers, and societies. This form of specific purposes assessment ALCPT affects both military personnel and civilians working within the military structure in terms of posting, promotion and remuneration, and it could be argued that it has serious consequences if not carried out professionally. Based on Hughes (1993) and Bailey’s (1996) washback models and empirical washback studies, this study focused on cadet participants’ attitudes toward aspects of the ALCPT and their corresponding behavior influenced by the test in their learning process. The data in this study were obtained through questionnaires and follow-up interviews conducted with cadets. A total of 140 cadets participated in this study on a volunteer basis, of whom ten agreed to take part in the follow-up interviews. The results revealed that ALCPT exerts a negative impact on cadets. The results also show that the exam not only has a micro level effect, which can be defined as the effect on an individual or a small group of individuals, but also a macro effect on a relatively large population of individuals studying or working in military academy contexts. Practical implications as well as suggestions for the instruction of cadets’ language learning are offered to conclude the paper.