Impact of a National English as a Foreign Language Test on Parents in Nepal

Abstract

Despite a growing body of research on language test impact, little is known about the impacts of a test on parents. Drawing on critical language testing theory, this chapter reports on a study that explored the impact of a high-stakes secondary school national English as a foreign language (EFL) test on parents in Nepal. The data generated through semi-structured interviews with parents (n = 6) and students (n = 6), a student survey, and oral diaries (n = 72) revealed that the English test had severe impact on parents. The findings indicated that social (e.g. status quo and family pressure), economic (e.g. buying preparation materials and private tuition), and psychological factors (e.g. stress and anxiety) associated with the test affected parents in complex ways. This impact, however, varied among the parents in the study which seemed to have been influenced by their educational background and their own past experiences. The final section of the chapter presents some pressing policy, research, and pedagogical implications of the study.KeywordsHigh-stakes testsEnglish as a foreign languageTest impactTest anxietyTest pressure