the washback effects of the oral proficiency interview on english as a foreign language students' participation in speaking activities
Test washback is a complex phenomenon that needs to be further investigated to better understand the power that tests may have on learning and teaching. Tests can be used as powerful agents to exert positive changes in students' perceptions and study habits, as is the case of the OPI in the American academic and government settings. In this sense, this research was designed as an exploratory case study that utilized a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods and various research instruments, namely questionnaires, observations, diaries, and self-assessment reports. The study was conducted with 17 undergraduate students in the intensive English program at a private university in North Lebanon. The aim of this study was to explore whether the introduction of the OPI as a midterm oral test has washback effects on students' participation in oral test preparation, whether the administration of the OPI has washback effects on students' perceptions of the test, and whether the washback effects in both cases are positive, neutral, or negative. Data analysis revealed that the introduction of the OPI did not create considerable changes in students' attitudes towards English speaking or their behaviors in terms of the frequency and the quality of their English utterances during classroom activities, thus the neutral washback effects. On the contrary, the administration of the OPI exerted slight positive washback effects in terms of students' perceptions of the test as a speaking assessment. (Author's Abstract)