Abstract:

Providing feedback to the students has a powerful influence on students’ achievement and, therefore, it has become an important tool in language learning. While the importance of feedback and its impact on the learning process have been researched, providing feedback to students after their mock exams but prior to official proficiency exams has yet to be explored in great detail. This paper provides a case study focusing on the mock exam experience with the subsequent feedback and the effect on the actual examination results.

The research questions formulated before the case study was performed were as follows: Does conducting a mock exam followed by oral feedback have an impact on the individuals’ performance? If so, is the impact positive or negative? In order to provide general and comprehensive answers to these questions, a large sample of individuals would be required. Therefore, it was decided to start with a pilot case study that focused on data gathering and analysis of four individuals taking both mock and official English exams in accordance with NATO STANAG 6001, level 2 (approximately comparable to CEFR B1).
NATO STANAG 6001 is a standardisation agreement which provides descriptors of six language proficiency levels. Based on these descriptors, standardised military language proficiency examinations are being developed in the countries which have signed the agreement. The study focused on level 2 because this level is the most commonly required and sought after in the Czech military.

The study participants were four randomly chosen adult students, professional soldiers, who had participated in a language course at the institution of the authors. The course syllabus was based on the descriptors of the NATO STANAG 6001 examination; however, the main objective of the course was also the development of language proficiency in English.

The data gathered from the students were based on a comparison of their writing and speaking performance at the mock and the official exam. The students were also interviewed following the feedback in order to help them determine appropriate strategies for their further study and preparation for the exam. Furthermore, students completed a questionnaire upon finishing the exam so they could assess their progress.

Their performance at the mock exam and the official exam as well as the feedback and the candidate´s response to feedback and overall experience evaluation were then analysed, compared, and interpreted.

The conclusions were drawn from and based on the pilot case study and opportunities for further research have been identified.

Keywords:

Feedback, mock exam, language proficiency exam strategies.