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Owusu, S. (2021). Washback Effect of High-Stakes English Language Tests on the Learning Behaviours of Ghanaian ESL Learners. Journal of Education and Practice, 12,
Abstract
The term washback or backwash is used in Applied Linguistics to refer to the impact of second/foreign language testing on learning behaviours, teaching practices, and curriculum design. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) English language tests administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are high-stakes tests which have very important consequences for the junior and senior high school leavers. The English language syllabus for both junior high school and senior high school levels has listening, reading, writing, and speaking components. Unfortunately, the BECE and WASSCE English language tests do not assess students on all the language skills. Although the WASSCE English language test has oral English component (which was introduced in 1999), it assesses candidates on listening comprehension only. Since teachers and students are likely to concentrate on what is going to be assessed, there may be negative washback effect on teaching and learning of English language in junior and senior high schools in Ghana. This paper reports on the washback effect of high-stakes English language tests on the learning behaviours of Ghanaian ESL learners. A total of 344 students from 3 junior high and 5 senior high schools were purposively sampled for the study. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data revealed that the BECE/WASSCE influenced how students learnt English, and that they wanted their teachers to concentrate on language areas that would only make them perform well in the high-stakes tests. This confirms the Alderson and Wall’s washback hypotheses that a test will influence what and how learners learn.
The term washback or backwash is used in Applied Linguistics to refer to the impact of second/foreign language testing on learning behaviours, teaching practices, and curriculum design. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) English language tests administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are high-stakes tests which have very important consequences for the junior and senior high school leavers. The English language syllabus for both junior high school and senior high school levels has listening, reading, writing, and speaking components. Unfortunately, the BECE and WASSCE English language tests do not assess students on all the language skills. Although the WASSCE English language test has oral English component (which was introduced in 1999), it assesses candidates on listening comprehension only. Since teachers and students are likely to concentrate on what is going to be assessed, there may be negative washback effect on teaching and learning of English language in junior and senior high schools in Ghana. This paper reports on the washback effect of high-stakes English language tests on the learning behaviours of Ghanaian ESL learners. A total of 344 students from 3 junior high and 5 senior high schools were purposively sampled for the study. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data revealed that the BECE/WASSCE influenced how students learnt English, and that they wanted their teachers to concentrate on language areas that would only make them perform well in the high-stakes tests. This confirms the Alderson and Wall’s washback hypotheses that a test will influence what and how learners learn.
Owusu, S. & Adomako K. (2021). THE INFLUENCE OF AKAN VOWEL HARMONY ON PRONUNCIATION OF NATIVE AKAN SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH. International Journal of English Language and Linguistics Research, 9,
Abstract
Vowel harmony is a major phonological phenomenon in the phonological system of Akan. The vowel harmony rule in Akan is governed by the [ATR] parameter. It is a phonological process of regressive assimilation in Akan. It occurs when [-ATR] vowels are followed by [+ATR] vowels. [+ATR] vowels tend to assimilate [-ATR] vowels on the left, that is, [+ATR] feature spreads leftward to all the preceding [-ATR] vowels in a word. This paper examines the impact of this phonological phenomenon in Akan on the spoken English of native Akan speakers. We formed sentences with 20 English words in which relatively low vowels are followed by relatively high vowels. The 20 native Asante Twi speakers of English from the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba were purposively sampled to read the sentences. The sentences were recorded and impressionistically transcribed and analysed. The results showed that the respondents transferred the Akan vowel harmony rule into their pronunciation of the English words administered. Keywords: Akan Vowel Harmony, Pronunciation, Twi Speakers of English
Vowel harmony is a major phonological phenomenon in the phonological system of Akan. The vowel harmony rule in Akan is governed by the [ATR] parameter. It is a phonological process of regressive assimilation in Akan. It occurs when [-ATR] vowels are followed by [+ATR] vowels. [+ATR] vowels tend to assimilate [-ATR] vowels on the left, that is, [+ATR] feature spreads leftward to all the preceding [-ATR] vowels in a word. This paper examines the impact of this phonological phenomenon in Akan on the spoken English of native Akan speakers. We formed sentences with 20 English words in which relatively low vowels are followed by relatively high vowels. The 20 native Asante Twi speakers of English from the College of Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba were purposively sampled to read the sentences. The sentences were recorded and impressionistically transcribed and analysed. The results showed that the respondents transferred the Akan vowel harmony rule into their pronunciation of the English words administered. Keywords: Akan Vowel Harmony, Pronunciation, Twi Speakers of English
Owusu, S.
12th Linguistics Association of Ghana Annual Conference (LAG 2018). University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa July 31 to Aug. 2, 2019
Paper presented:
Idioms as a Measure of Proficiency Level of Ghanaian ESL Learners
Abstract
The idiom is defined as a habitual unit of language, the meaning of which cannot be deduced by summing up the meanings of its individual components. Instead, idioms are fixed phraseological units by their long usage and have to be learned as a whole. It is said that if natural language had been designed by a logician, idioms would not exist. L2 learners’ ability to use idioms appropriately in the written and the spoken discourse is considered as a sign of communicative competence. What this means is that there is a close correlation between idiomatic knowledge and second language proficiency and that like proverbs, idioms can be used to measure one’s proficiency level. The objective of the paper was to use English idioms to measure the proficiency level of the first year students of English at the University of Education, Winneba. Convenience sampling was used to select 110 level 100 students of English, to whom the researcher was teaching Introduction to Linguistics. The respondents were tasked to answer a questionnaire involving ten common idioms in English. Findings showed that the respondents were found to be fairly proficient in their acquisition of the English idioms selected for the study. The results of this study could have important implications for the design of appropriate courses geared at helping the students to improve on their level of proficiency.
The idiom is defined as a habitual unit of language, the meaning of which cannot be deduced by summing up the meanings of its individual components. Instead, idioms are fixed phraseological units by their long usage and have to be learned as a whole. It is said that if natural language had been designed by a logician, idioms would not exist. L2 learners’ ability to use idioms appropriately in the written and the spoken discourse is considered as a sign of communicative competence. What this means is that there is a close correlation between idiomatic knowledge and second language proficiency and that like proverbs, idioms can be used to measure one’s proficiency level. The objective of the paper was to use English idioms to measure the proficiency level of the first year students of English at the University of Education, Winneba. Convenience sampling was used to select 110 level 100 students of English, to whom the researcher was teaching Introduction to Linguistics. The respondents were tasked to answer a questionnaire involving ten common idioms in English. Findings showed that the respondents were found to be fairly proficient in their acquisition of the English idioms selected for the study. The results of this study could have important implications for the design of appropriate courses geared at helping the students to improve on their level of proficiency.
Owusu, S.
1st South African Association for Language Teaching (SAALT) and Southern African Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Association (SALALS) Joint Annual Conference 2019. University of Pretoria, Groenkloof Campus, South Africa June 30 to July 4, 2019
Paper presented:
Evaluating the Content Validity of High-Stakes ESL Tests in Ghana
Abstract
A good test should have content validity, that is, it should reflect the objectives and the content of the curriculum, so that the test would be representative, relevant, and comprehensive. It is said that for a test to promote positive washback, it should reflect the course objectives upon which the test content is based. The high-stakes English language tests in Ghana should therefore reflect the objectives of the English language curriculum. The objective of this paper was to find out whether or not the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana cover the objectives and the content of the English language curriculum. The paper makes use of the data gathered through questionnaires and document analysis to provide answers to the research question: To what extent are the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana aligned with the English language curriculum? The English language syllabus and past questions from 2010 to 2017 were analysed to establish the relationship between the test items and the prescribed English language syllabus. Again, a questionnaire was conducted with 24 English language teachers from 4 junior high schools and 8 eight senior high schools. Analysis of data revealed that the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana lacked washback validity. This means that the objectives of the English language curriculum were not fully reflected in the tests, since some topics or areas in the English language syllabus were not examined. This gap between the objectives of English language curriculum and the focus of the high-stakes tests encouraged the teachers to teach to the test, thereby concentrating on only the areas that were examined in the high-stakes tests. The teachers concentrated on grammatical structure, reading comprehension, and essay writing which were tested in the high-stakes tests. In effect, the results of this research work could have important implications for high-stakes English language test system reform, and the roles high-stakes language tests play in shaping ESL classroom practices in Ghanaian schools.
A good test should have content validity, that is, it should reflect the objectives and the content of the curriculum, so that the test would be representative, relevant, and comprehensive. It is said that for a test to promote positive washback, it should reflect the course objectives upon which the test content is based. The high-stakes English language tests in Ghana should therefore reflect the objectives of the English language curriculum. The objective of this paper was to find out whether or not the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana cover the objectives and the content of the English language curriculum. The paper makes use of the data gathered through questionnaires and document analysis to provide answers to the research question: To what extent are the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana aligned with the English language curriculum? The English language syllabus and past questions from 2010 to 2017 were analysed to establish the relationship between the test items and the prescribed English language syllabus. Again, a questionnaire was conducted with 24 English language teachers from 4 junior high schools and 8 eight senior high schools. Analysis of data revealed that the high-stakes English language tests in Ghana lacked washback validity. This means that the objectives of the English language curriculum were not fully reflected in the tests, since some topics or areas in the English language syllabus were not examined. This gap between the objectives of English language curriculum and the focus of the high-stakes tests encouraged the teachers to teach to the test, thereby concentrating on only the areas that were examined in the high-stakes tests. The teachers concentrated on grammatical structure, reading comprehension, and essay writing which were tested in the high-stakes tests. In effect, the results of this research work could have important implications for high-stakes English language test system reform, and the roles high-stakes language tests play in shaping ESL classroom practices in Ghanaian schools.
Owusu, S.
30th West African Languages Congress & 10th Linguistics Association of Ghana Conference. University of Education, Winneba, Ghana July 31 to August 5, 2017
Paper presented:
Language Anxiety and its Effect on Oral Performance Of Students during Post-Internship Seminar Presentations at The Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education, UEW
Abstract
Language anxiety has been found to have an adverse effect on oral performance. Many second/foreign language learners often experience the feeling of unease, nervousness, apprehension, and intimidation when they are performing in a second/foreign language, a phenomenon known as xenoglossophobia. It was hypothesised that the students at the Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba would experience language anxiety during the post-internship seminar presentations. Many of them are native speakers of the languages they are studying at the University. With the exception of the general courses which are taught and assessed in English, teaching and assessment of the departmental courses are done in Ghanaian languages. However, the post-internship seminar presentations are done in English in the presence of their lecturers and lecturers from other departments. The students may be intimidated by the presence of their professors because of the fear of negative evaluation. This may cause language anxiety in the students which may also have negative impact on their oral performance. Using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the paper investigated the effects language anxiety on oral performance of students during the post-internship seminar presentations at the Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education. The objective of the paper was to answer the question: How does language anxiety affect the oral performance of students during the post-internship seminar presentations? 200 level 400 students were purposively selected for the study. The results indicated that the respondents experienced language anxiety during the post-internship seminar presentations, and that language anxiety was the major cause of the students’ poor performance during the seminar presentations.
Language anxiety has been found to have an adverse effect on oral performance. Many second/foreign language learners often experience the feeling of unease, nervousness, apprehension, and intimidation when they are performing in a second/foreign language, a phenomenon known as xenoglossophobia. It was hypothesised that the students at the Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education, University of Education, Winneba would experience language anxiety during the post-internship seminar presentations. Many of them are native speakers of the languages they are studying at the University. With the exception of the general courses which are taught and assessed in English, teaching and assessment of the departmental courses are done in Ghanaian languages. However, the post-internship seminar presentations are done in English in the presence of their lecturers and lecturers from other departments. The students may be intimidated by the presence of their professors because of the fear of negative evaluation. This may cause language anxiety in the students which may also have negative impact on their oral performance. Using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the paper investigated the effects language anxiety on oral performance of students during the post-internship seminar presentations at the Faculty of Ghanaian Languages Education. The objective of the paper was to answer the question: How does language anxiety affect the oral performance of students during the post-internship seminar presentations? 200 level 400 students were purposively selected for the study. The results indicated that the respondents experienced language anxiety during the post-internship seminar presentations, and that language anxiety was the major cause of the students’ poor performance during the seminar presentations.
