Perceptions of the General English Proficiency Test and its Washback

This case study research investigated stakeholders¿ perceptions of the Taiwanese General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) as well as its washback on schools¿ policies, teaching, and English learning. The research sites were the applied foreign language departments of a university of technology and an institute of technology. Results indicated that the GEPT had a minute or no impact on teaching at both schools, except for courses which were germane to the school¿s GEPT policy. Results of the study also indicate that the existing theories or models do not fully explain the washback of tests on learning. I therefore propose a new, tentative washback model of students¿ learning to delineate this subject.