The way in which public examinations influence teaching and learning is commonly described as "washback" or backwash. This study examined the nature and scope of the impact of a public examination on English teaching in Taiwan to add to the existing literature on testing washback in an English-as-a-second-language context. The relational research method was used in this research. The target population was junior high school English teachers. Data were collected through a survey and focus group interviews. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the quantitative data. Content analysis using a note-based technique interpreted the qualitative data. Findings indicate that the public examination associated with educational reform has an influence on teachers' curricular planning and instruction. This washback influence on teachers' teaching attitudes is quite superficial; the washback may influence teachers about what to teach, but not how to teach. Washback influences teaching contents because of the issue of new teaching materials for junior high schools throughout Taiwan. Because of a lack of inservice teacher training, teachers lack knowledge about how to change their teaching methods to align with the new curriculum. Findings lead to recommendations for teacher professional development, a change of the Taiwanese "academic watch" program, mixed ability grouping, and the addition of oral and aural assessment to the examination. (Contains 4 tables and 38 references.) (Author/SLD)