The Negative Effects of Undergraduate Placement Examination of English (LYS-5) on ELT Students in Turkey

Authors : Betül Ayşe Sayin, Musa Mükerrem Aslan

Pages : 30-39

Doi:10.17275/per.16.02.3.1

View : 27 | Download : 15

Publication Date : 2016-04-01

Article Type : Research

Abstract :This study aims to explore the perceptions of English Language Teaching department freshman students in … towards Undergraduate Placement Examination of English termed LYS-5 and display the problems in the content and structure of this standardized test.  LYS-5 examination is taken by thousands of … high school seniors every year who would like to be language teachers or professionals. However, the accuracy and effectiveness of this exam has always been an issue. Major criticism to the exam structure is that students who prepare for the exam overwhelmingly focus on grammar, vocabulary and reading, and they tend to disregard other language skills (Özgün, 2010). Considering the problems in the structure of the test and taking the importance of the examination for students into account, a survey was prepared and delivered to 74 ELT students from two different universities. The data results revealed the necessity of a newly constructed LYS-5 in … by taking the worldwide accepted English examinations into account. The findings profoundly reflect that there are neglected major skills which are excluded not only from the LYS-5 exam but also from the studies and in-class practices of the students and teachers. Language examinations need to be improved as the teaching methods and learning processes differ in the course of time. While the sphere of the study is not very wide, it is aimed to contribute to the existing studies, and to emphasize the emergency of the problem.
Keywords : English language exam, standardized tests, undergraduate placement examination (LYS-5), university entrance exam (UEE), language assessment