EFL Students' Test Preparation Practices in the Nepalese context

Test preparation is often seen as a potential factor influencing students’ performances beyond their ability on the construct measured by language tests. It is assumed that the higher the stakes of a test, the more likely that students are engaged in the test preparation as students are under pressure to raise test scores. The literature on language testing indicates that test impacts on classroom learning (and teaching) has been widely explored. However, little research has explored English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ out-of-class test preparation practices though they spend more time outside formal classes. The research reported in this paper explored this area in the context of Nepal. The major focus of the current study was on the Secondary School Examination (SEE) English test- a nationwide large-scale standardised test conducted at the end of 10-year school education in Nepal. The stakes associated with the SEE are extremely high as its grades determine which course a candidate can study in higher education and the test is used as a basic qualification for most jobs in Nepal. Thus, success in this examination widens students’ prospects for students’ self-development