WASHBACK IN LANGUAGE TESTING: RESEARCH CONTEXTS AND METHODS.
Liying Cheng, Yoshinori Watanabe, and Andy Curtis (Eds.). Mahwah,
NJ: Erlbaum, 2004. Pp. xxi + 233. $27.50 paper.
Since Alderson and Wall (1993) posited a
seemingly rhetorical question, “Does washback exist?” language
testing professionals have directed attention to the impact of testing on
teaching, learning, educational outcomes, and individuals. This edited
volume is the culmination of language testing professionals'
conscious efforts to better understand washback. It bears rich testimony
to the complex nature of washback phenomena in every corner of educational
systems. It is a useful resource for those seeking guidance on their own
washback studies—for teachers and school administrators who are
haunted by the power of tests and for those who need empirical evidence
for and against test washback in specific testing situations.