Title: Testing Reading Skills in English as a Foreign Language Classes of Secondary Schools
Authors: Ermias Mulatu Tessema and Taye Regassa Seda(Ph.D.)
Volume: 6
Issue: 2
Pages: 100-113
Publication Date: 2022/02/28
Abstract:
The study examined the testing practices of reading skills in government secondary schools EFL Classes in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. To encounter this purpose, a descriptive research design and mixed data analysis methods were employed. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. The collected data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The data sources were grade nine teachers, students, and second semester English Mid and Final reading Exams. Results of the study manifested that the sample reading exams used unified but not coherent reading passages. Besides, the texts seem too short even for expeditious reading tests and they only used one item construction technique i.e. multiple choice. Usage of simply matching a string of words, and editing problems were the other drawbacks seen. On the other hand, the teachers used different sources to extract reading passages. Internet, magazines, newspapers, previous and current students' English textbooks, previous teacher-made and national exam papers were mentioned as sources of passages for teacher-made reading exams. Nevertheless, the sources of the passages were not mentioned in the sample reading exams. On the other hand, students' negative perception towards reading exams may affect their reading skills and lead to a negative wash-back effect. The conclusion made from the study was that the reading exam lacked some of the important elements that make reading exams effective. Grounded in the findings, it is recommended that the testing practice of reading skills in secondary school EFL classes should comprise several types of reading comprehension questions that incorporate various reading skills. To sum up, it is valuable to improve the testing procedure of reading skills in particular and testing in general.