Abstract
This paper reports on the use of dynamic assessment (DA) by an English as second language teacher (ESL) in their classroom in China. It examines how DA can be employed in English as foreign language classrooms as a method of developing learners' oral English skills. DA is framework with the aim of combing both instruction and assessment in a way which supports development (Poehner, 2008). It is founded in the ideas of Vygotsky's (1987) zone of proximal development (ZPD) emanating from his socio-cultural theory (SCT). ZPD highlights the role of a more capable others as mediators who interact learners in order to help them realize their potential. This study provides an example of how an EFL teacher might utilize DA in their classroom based on their personal understanding and with interpretation of it. Examples of the interactions between the teacher and learners are analyzed in this study to find out investigate how it they aid in development.
Highlights
The foundation of dynamic assessment (DA) is built upon Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD)
An important part of ZPD is the role of mediating interactions between a learner and an more knowledgeable other (MKO), (Lantolf and Poehner, 2004)
His work paid special attention to the practical application of ideas which encourage development and change. He is considered to be a proponent of ‘praxis’, in which theory and practice operate in an interdependent relationship; that is, theory lays a foundation for practice and practice in turn helps mold theory
Summary
The foundation of dynamic assessment (DA) is built upon Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). An important part of ZPD is the role of mediating interactions between a learner and an MKO, (Lantolf and Poehner, 2004). DA focuses on these interactions between a learner and MKO and the role they play in the development of a learner’s higher thinking capacity (Infante and Poehner, 2016). Some scholars have pointed out that language for communicative purposes is the main objective of language learning given that speaking is the primary way by which human beings communicate with one another (Lazarton, 2001). Others, such as Brown (2001) assert that overall speaking skills can be divided into various sub-skills, such as the grammar, which the current study explores in more depth. The motivation of this study is driven by this gap in the literature
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