While national English proficiency tests are being carried out in universities in Taiwan and Mainland China, their college English teachers are rising to the challenge to the enhanced responsibilities regarding the backwash effects of the standardized English proficiency tests. This paper presents a comparative study of the nationwide standardized English language tests at universities in China and Taiwan respectively. A hypothesis in this study holds that that a standardized English testing system can enhance not only the test quality regarding both reliability and validity, but also the quality college ELT programmes linked with the test constructs and positive washback effects. This rationale is especially significant for current Chinese universities where many students’ English ability is inadequate to meet their study needs.

This paper presents an analysis of the problems about the practices of the English language testing at universities in the Greater China area. The writer would raise a fundamental question: Is it necessary for college English programmes in both Taiwan and Mainland China to follow a standardized testing system? The tentative answer is positive. The fact that a unified mandatory testing system has been carried out in Mainland China for over 15 years could be a good case for college ELT programs in Taiwan and other areas to draw lessons. This paper analyzes current practices of college ELT evaluation, and offers valuable practical suggestions. It is believed that a unified English language testing system should be well designed, and such a standardized testing system would bring about much beneficial backwash effects on the ELT programmes at most Chinese universities. The significance of this paper is to raise the issue that most Chinese universities, especially those in Taiwan, need without delay a unified English language testing system for quality college ELT results.