Table 5 Descriptions of items extracted from exploratory factor analysis
Factor | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
Education and managerial | 3 | Assessment and feedback revolve around entrance exam |
5 | Teaching methods are only consistent with entrance exam | |
6 | Content and material are only taught for the entrance exam | |
7 | Auditory and communicative skills are ignored for the entrance exam | |
10 | Teacher talk and interactions are centered on test-taking, grammar, and vocabulary | |
12 | Mother’s tongue replaces foreign language | |
15 | The learning objectives of the entrance exam and language syllabus are inconsistent | |
Attitudinal and motivational | 1 | Testing competence importance prevails language competence for students |
4 | Teaching for the test importance prevails teaching language skills for teachers | |
9 | Value of entrance exam performance prevails language learning for schools | |
13 | Students are more motivated to learn for the test rather than for language | |
14 | Teachers are more motivated to teach for the test rather than for the language | |
19 | Success is judged based on performance in entrance exams rather than language | |
Psychological and consequential | 2 | Iranian context both persuades for and forces test-taking rather than language |
8 | Entrance exam exerts higher pressure, stress, and anxiety on students | |
11 | The entrance exam is more consistent with real-life needs | |
16 | The entrance exam is the only path for selecting the favorite educational channel | |
17 | The entrance exam is almost the only path to finding a job | |
18 | The entrance exam is the only path to acquiring social status |