Motivating Lifelong Learning of English? Test Takers' Perceptions of the Success of the General English Proficiency Test

Abstract

The General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) was developed in accordance with the Taiwanese Ministry of Education's three goals to improve learners' English proficiency, motivate English learning, and promote lifelong learning. This article used questionnaires to investigate the success of the GEPT in meeting these goals. As the GEPT is intended for Taiwanese English as a foreign language, learners from all walks of life (Wu, 2012), both student and non-student GEPT test takers were involved in this study (n = 384). Results showed that although most test takers responded that the GEPT was successful in making them feel that their English has improved, only a slight majority responded that the GEPT was successful in motivating them to learn English. Most test takers did not support the idea that the GEPT was successful in promoting lifelong learning. Probit regression was used to examine the relationships between these verdicts and variables such as test takers' background, motivational influences, feeling toward the GEPT, perceptions toward self-assessment, learner autonomy, and capacities for lifelong learning. Based on the findings, the article argues for a unique place of the GEPT in the Taiwanese context and reflects on the use of tests to promote lifelong learning of a foreign language.