Investigating the Washback Effect of Examinations Phobia in EFL Learning Context Students and Teachers’ Perceptions

Abstract

The effects of testing on students learning a foreign language have been the subject of substantial investigation in related literature. In practice, the majority of teachers evaluate their students through scheduled tests that they hold following the semester's initial syllabuses. This qualitative study investigated the importance of the washback effect (negative and positive) of examinations on Saudi EFL undergraduates at Majmaah University considering their perceptions related to learning, teaching methodology, and course contents. The study adopts a qualitative approach conducting interviews to collect data from teachers and students. The qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The washback effect was interpreted about issues such as teaching methodology, learning, and contents of the course. The results indicated that learners’ fear of examination level increased and their performance decreased when they were aware of the assessment in terms of lack of background knowledge, grammar and syntax, course content, and teaching methodology. The pedagogical implications were related to authentic activities, formative assessment, and language skills.