Washbacked Teacher-Learner’s Academic Behavior (the case of Iranian EFL MA Preparatory Course)

The effect of test on teachers, students, and their classroom behaviors has ever been amenable to scholarly studies. To explore such an effect, 20 professors offering MA TEFL preparation courses and 30 candidates received PLSP and APALS inventories. Paired-sample t-tests revealed significant differences. However, the respective componential multivariate ANOVA revealed non-significant and significant differences among the components of the styles and maxims, respectively. The teacher’s teaching styles and maxims were significantly affected in the light of washback. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed significant correlation among the components like: classroom conduct, facilitation, and agenda. Contrary to the hypotheses made, the results of the similar analyses (t-test, componential multivariate ANOVA and correlation coefficients) run as to the learners’ learning styles showed drastically opposite results; meaning that neither the styles as a whole nor their componential individual sub-styles showed to have been significantly washback-determined. These contradictory findings may be attributed to reflective orientations among the teachers.