Washback: Exploring what constitutes “good” teaching practices

Realising the social consequences involved in language testing, many researchers have investigated “washback”, or the influence of testing on teaching and learning. While it is widely acknowledged that the nature of washback is dependent on context (Cheng, 2005 ;  Tsagari, 2011), the very definition of washback is problematic due to its reliance on what constitutes “good” teaching and learning practices, which can differ from one educational context to another. This article explores the attitudes, beliefs and teaching practices of four teachers teaching both TOEFL iBT preparation courses and general English classes in Vietnam with the aim to better understand how washback (positive or negative) is realised in these contexts. In this qualitative case study, the participating teachers were observed and interviewed in both their TOEFL iBT preparation and general English class. The study revealed that teachers’ beliefs about what constitutes “good” teaching practices differed depending on the teaching context, or more specifically, the role and purpose of the course (test preparation versus general English).