Test takers’ beliefs and experiences of a high-stakes computer-based English listening and speaking test

Test takers’ beliefs or experiences have been overlooked in most validation studies in language education. Meanwhile, a mutual exclusion has been observed in the literature, with little or no dialogue between validation studies and studies concerning the uses and consequences of testing. To help fill these research gaps, a group of Senior III students in Guangdong Province, mainland China, were interviewed concerning their views of the high-stakes Computer-based English Listening and Speaking Test (CELST) and their experiences of preparing for and taking the test. The data analysis indicated that the students had a distinct understanding of the CELST validity and also tentatively suggested a relationship between the students’ views of the CELST design, their test preparation practice and their test taking process. These findings provided information useful for sharpening a computer-based English listening and speaking test and for generating positive washback on English learning. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s).