Uppsatsens syfte är att redogöra för forskningens syn på det nationella skrivprovet inom ämnet svenska. Utifrån ett psykometriskt perspektiv, med inriktning på konstrukt, bedömning och användning, belyser uppsatsen potentiella problembilder med standardiserade prov inom en svensk, norsk och amerikansk kontext. Provet innehar en normerande ställning inom svensk utbildning, där det agerar rättesnöre över vad som utgör goda och mindre goda elevtexter. Forskningen visar också på den svårighet som existerar gällande provets interbedömarreliabilitet, där olika examinatorer bedömer proven olika. Vidare påverkar provet undervisningen, där dess genrepedagogiska utgångspunkt leder till en tanke om progression, där texttyper hierarkiseras. Lärarna upplever att provet är tidskrävande och att de ofta arbetar förberedande med eleverna. Detta leder till att eleverna undervisas i att hantera provsituationen, snarare än att de undervisas i skrivande, något som är problematiskt utifrån aspekter av reliabilitet. Vidare innebär provets normerande ställning att undervisningen anpassas efter de förmågor som provet avser att mäta, vilket resulterar i att eleverna får ta del av en begränsad läroplan. Undersökningen visar på den diskrepans som tycks existera mellan provets olika syften, där det råder en oklarhet i om provet kan fungera som ett komparativt utvärderingsverktyg samtidigt som det är ett utvecklingsverktyg för att främja elevernas skrivande. Frågan är om det är möjligt att skapa ett skrivprov där dessa syften harmoniserar med varandra?

This literature review asks the following:  How is writing instruction realized in L1-classrooms (in the Swedish upper secondary school or its equivalent globally), considering standardized testing as a background factor? Standardized testing has become established in Sweden as one way to audit the school system and evaluate knowledge levels for the sake of guaranteeing an equitable education. However, standardized testing may influence the way in which classroom instruction is realized by teachers, as observed by Popham (2001). The literature review utilizes a qualitative conventional content analysis in order to produce a result of ten studies relevant to our research question. They are then thematized, presented, and later discussed using Popham’s (2001) item-teaching and curriculum-teaching, Biesta’s (2010) reasoning around how measurability impacts the perceived value of different types of education and Janks’ (2010) synthesis model. We found that writing instruction in classrooms subjected to standardized testing often showed a narrowed curriculum and formulaic writing. This particularly impacted classrooms consisting of diverse learners. We noted that teachers faced a complex task when instructing in these classrooms. They generally drifted towards either item-teaching or curriculum-teaching. We also found that the writing skills and knowledge that were highly valued in the classroom corresponded to skills measured by the tests. Finally, using Janks’ (2010) synthesis model we found that both access without design and diversity without access were present in our chosen studies. This implies that standardized testing maintains existing (and excluding) power relations between the dominant and the non-dominant groups. Our discussion is then related to the Swedish national curriculum, pointing to potential self-refuting goals formulated in the syllabus for the subject Swedish. We suggest that studies should be performed in a Swedish context in order to highlight any potential consequences of standardized testing for writing instruction in Swedish classrooms.

This study offers insight into washback processes via interactions between the national test, teachers and students as well as raises questions about contemporary educational politics and standardized testing in EFL classrooms. Washback is a term for the effects a test has on teaching and learning. Standardized tests are given increased weight in Sweden and globally, risking an increase of washback. This development puts various properties of education at risk of being undermined. In Sweden, the national tests in ninth grade can be considered high-stake standardized tests since they should be particularly considered in grading. The oral subtest in English may involve specific issues due to socio-affective aspects and challenges of assessing foreign language speech. Through qualitative interviews with six English teachers in Sweden, this study explored their perceptions of washback effects of the oral subtest of English in the national tests in ninth grade. The results indicate substantial washback on teaching practices and learning behaviors, and that socio-affective aspects play a major role in teachers’ choices. Also, some teachers exhibit ambivalence to the content of the test and whether the test results should impact the grades.