Impact of a National English as a Foreign Language Test on Parents in Nepal

Dawadi, Saraswati (2023). Impact of a National English as a Foreign Language Test on Parents in Nepal. In: Khan, Rubina; Bashir, Ahmed; Basu, Bijoy Lal and Uddin, Md. Elias eds. Local Research and Glocal Perspectives in English Language Teaching: Teaching in Changing Times. Singapore: Springer, pp. 363–376.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6458-9_23

Abstract

Despite a growing body of research on language test impact, little is known about the impacts of a test on parents. Drawing on Critical Language Testing theory, this paper reports on a study that explored the impact of a high-stakes secondary school national English as a foreign language (EFL) test on parents in Nepal. The data generated through semi-structured interviews with parents (n=6) and students (n=6), a student survey and oral diaries (n=72) indicate severe impact of the English test on parents. The findings indicated that social (e.g., status quo, family pressure), economic (e.g., buying preparation materials, private tuition) and psychological factors (e.g., stress and anxiety) associated with the test had impact on parents. This impact, however, varied amongst the parents in the study which seemed to have been influenced by their educational background and their own past experiences. The final section presents some pressing policy, research and pedagogical implications of the study.

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