Exploring standardized tests washback from the decolonial option: implications for rural teachers and students

Abstract

AbstractThe lack of research from rural contexts evidences that coloniality is maintained not only in socioeconomics but also in education. Hence, this qualitative research synthesis explores the washback of English language standardized tests at the secondary level. To do this, I draw theoretically on the decolonial option and a thorough literature review of washback at the international and national levels. Then, I approach interpretive content analysis to unveil implications for rural teachers and students. Findings suggest negative washback reflected on decontextualized testing practices that fail to promote an integral education. Therefore, I propose the analysis of teachers and students’ attitudes, the embracement of local and social testing practices, and the promotion of horizontal approaches to direct washback from an introspective standpoint. Likewise, I invite teachers toassess powerful socioeconomicinstitutions influencing test dynamics, unveihidden discourses in external policy and curriculum, recognize dehumanized tests’ ideologies and identify capitalist strategies transferred to the educational system. Given the increasing efforts to impose politicized and homogenized standardized tests, this paper can be helpful not only for rural teachers and students but also scholars in general.

Keywords

• Decoloniality
• English language teaching
• testing
• standardized tests
• washback
• Oliver Nyambi, English Department, University of the Free State, South Africa