Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors
Abstract Language proficiency tests significantly impact teaching and learning, commonly referred to as the washback effect, which has recently gained intense attention in China. This study explores the factors influencing the direction, timing, and intensity of the washback effect of the Chinese pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Language Testing in Asia |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00370-z |
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| author | ying LI Bo Hu |
| author_facet | ying LI Bo Hu |
| author_sort | ying LI |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Language proficiency tests significantly impact teaching and learning, commonly referred to as the washback effect, which has recently gained intense attention in China. This study explores the factors influencing the direction, timing, and intensity of the washback effect of the Chinese proficiency test (HSK). In this study, a mixed research method was used to study international Chinese language teachers and students through an ordinal logistic regression model and semistructured interviews. The findings reveal that personal, test, and environmental factors contribute to the washback effect. Notably, test factors exert a particularly strong influence on both teachers’ and students’ washback effects, whereas personal factors significantly influence only the washback effect of the HSK on students, and environmental factors significantly influence only the timing of the washback effect of the HSK on teachers. This study combines the examination characteristics of the HSK and international Chinese-language education scenarios; systematically verifies the influence of individual, examination, and environmental factors on the washback effect of the HSK; and expands and enriches the washback effect theory. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9c734cf3d4124e249fd03d5bc4672116 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2229-0443 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Language Testing in Asia |
| spelling | doaj-art-9c734cf3d4124e249fd03d5bc46721162025-08-20T03:22:54ZengSpringerOpenLanguage Testing in Asia2229-04432025-06-0115112110.1186/s40468-025-00370-zUnpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factorsying LI0Bo Hu1Macau University of Science and TechnologyMacau University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Language proficiency tests significantly impact teaching and learning, commonly referred to as the washback effect, which has recently gained intense attention in China. This study explores the factors influencing the direction, timing, and intensity of the washback effect of the Chinese proficiency test (HSK). In this study, a mixed research method was used to study international Chinese language teachers and students through an ordinal logistic regression model and semistructured interviews. The findings reveal that personal, test, and environmental factors contribute to the washback effect. Notably, test factors exert a particularly strong influence on both teachers’ and students’ washback effects, whereas personal factors significantly influence only the washback effect of the HSK on students, and environmental factors significantly influence only the timing of the washback effect of the HSK on teachers. This study combines the examination characteristics of the HSK and international Chinese-language education scenarios; systematically verifies the influence of individual, examination, and environmental factors on the washback effect of the HSK; and expands and enriches the washback effect theory.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00370-zHSKWashback effectInternational Chinese Language Education (ICLE) |
| spellingShingle | ying LI Bo Hu Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors Language Testing in Asia HSK Washback effect International Chinese Language Education (ICLE) |
| title | Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors |
| title_full | Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors |
| title_fullStr | Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors |
| title_short | Unpacking the washback of the HSK on international Chinese language education: a study of the influencing factors |
| title_sort | unpacking the washback of the hsk on international chinese language education a study of the influencing factors |
| topic | HSK Washback effect International Chinese Language Education (ICLE) |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00370-z |
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