The IELTS Preparation Washback on Learning and Teaching Outcomes

Abstract Due to the important roles that nowadays standardized tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc. have on students’ lives around the world like Iran, the present study has tried to provide both a clear view toward the washback effect of IELTS preparation courses on learning and teaching outcomes and an obvious path for IELTS teachers in order to modify their methods and their way of teaching if it is necessary. Therefore, the present study has tried to investigate whether IELTS preparation classes have any influence on the learning processes and the achievement of students in such an examination, specifically in the Iranian context, and at the same time to seek whether the construct of such tests makes any difference in the methods used in teaching or not. Accordingly, the researcher benefited from a mixed method approach that is both qualitative and quantitative modes of inquiry. So, fifty five students who took part in the IELTS preparation courses and nine IELTS teachers who involved in this learning and teaching process were selected to be representative of the accessible population. The students were supposed to be given one questionnaire before and one after taking part in IELTS preparation classes to extract their expectations of such classes. But because of the limitation of the study that is the shortage of time, both questionnaires were given to them at the same time. The teachers were also supposed to be interviewed and their ideas about these classes were transcribed and codified. However, because of inaccessibility to the teachers, the researcher had to type the questions and give them to the teachers. Finally, the gathered data were submitted to SPSS Software and the results were analyzed and interpreted. The results indicated a significant difference between the students’ expectations before taking part in the IELTS preparation courses and their expectations after taking part in such courses. In other words, these classes had both positive and little effects not necessarily negative effects on different Iranian students’ learning processes and their achievement in such an examination. Although the students’ expectations before and after taking the course changed significantly due to their both optimistic and pessimistic views toward some aspects of these courses, it was too difficult to make it clear that in which aspects of the course their expectations changed. Moreover, the construction of such tests affected the teachers’ way of teaching processes and made them teach students different techniques and strategies in comparison to other types of tests. Key words: Washback; IELTS preparation courses; Learning outcomes; Teaching outcomes; Iranian context Resume En raison de l'importance du role que les tests de nos jours standardises tels que l'IELTS, TOEFL, etc avoir sur la vie des etudiants du monde entier comme l'Iran, la presente etude a tente de fournir a la fois une vision claire vers l'effet en retour des cours de preparation IELTS apprentissage et l'enseignement des resultats et un chemin evident pour les professeurs IELTS afin de modifier leurs methodes et leur facon d'enseigner si elle est necessaire. Par consequent, la presente etude a tente de determiner si les cours de preparation IELTS avoir une quelconque influence sur le processus d'apprentissage et le rendement des eleves dans un tel examen, en particulier dans le contexte iranien, et dans le meme temps de rechercher si la construction de ces tests rend aucune difference dans les methodes utilisees dans l'enseignement ou non. En consequence, le chercheur a beneficie d'une methode mixte qui est a la fois qualitatives et quantitatives des modes d'enquete. Ainsi, 55 etudiants qui ont pris part au cours de preparation IELTS IELTS et neuf professeurs qui participent a ce processus d'apprentissage et d'enseignement ont ete selectionnes pour etre representatifs de la population accessible. Les eleves etaient censes etre donnes un questionnaire avant et un apres avoir participe a des cours de preparation IELTS pour extraire leurs attentes de ces classes. Mais en raison de la limitation de l'etude qui est le manque de temps, deux questionnaires ont ete donnes a la fois. Les enseignants etaient egalement censes etre interroges et leurs idees sur ces classes ont ete transcrites et codifiees. Cependant, en raison de l'inaccessibilite a l'enseignant, le chercheur avait pour taper les questions et les donner a l'enseignant. Enfin, les donnees recueillies ont ete soumises au logiciel SPSS et les resultats ont ete analyses et interpretes. Les resultats indiquent une difference significative entre les attentes des etudiants avant de prendre part aux cours de preparation a l'IELTS et de leurs attentes, apres avoir participe a ces cours. En d'autres termes, ces classes ont eu des effets positifs et peu pas necessairement des effets negatifs sur les processus differents etudiants iraniens d'apprentissage et leur realisation dans un tel examen. Bien que les attentes des etudiants avant et apres avoir suivi le cours a change considerablement en raison de leurs opinions a la fois optimistes et pessimistes envers certains aspects de ces cours, il etait trop difficile a etablir clairement que dans laquelle les aspects du cours de leurs attentes modifiees. Par ailleurs, la construction de tels tests affectes maniere dont les enseignants du processus d'enseignement et les firent enseigner aux eleves les differentes techniques et strategies en comparaison a d'autres types de tests. Mots cles: Washback; des cours de preparation d’IELTS; Resultats d'apprentissage; L'enseignement des resultats; Contexte Iranien

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