Centralized and standardized exams are widely used around the World since they are highly practical and reliable. Specifically, centralized and standardized foreign language exams provide practicality and reliability. Furthermore, authenticity is an essential principle of a FL exam because in our modern world, using a foreign language in real life is crucial. The exams are expected to show the foreign language competence of testees. Foreign Language Exam (YDS) and Foreign Language Test (YDT) administered by Student Selection and Administration Centre (ÖSYM) along with High School Entrance Exam (LGS) run by Minister of National Education (MEB) are organized as the large scale foreign language exams in Turkey. As a result, the aim of this study is to analyse the above-mentioned exams with respect to the principles of testing foreign language skills and offer some suggestions to increase these tests’ appropriateness to the communicative principles as well as create a positive washback. In this review, document analysis method was used to examine YDS, YDT and the English test in LGS. Consequently, these foreign language exams are found to be inefficient for communication owing to consisting of only multiple-choice question items. This question type is not useful to assess productive skills like speaking and writing. Apart from being insufficient for assessing the language skills, the exams are not compatible with the Communicative Approach with respect to the testing approach, either. Due to including only multiple choice questions, these tests fit with traditional approaches. Moreover, these centralized and standardized foreign language exams cannot contribute much positive effect on authentic and living side of a language. ORCID NO: 0000-0002-0258-0016
Anahtar Kelimeler: Centralized Exams, Standardized Exams, Testing Foreign Language Skills
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