Dynamic Assessment of Reading Difficulties: Predictive and Incremental Validity on Attitude toward Reading and the Use of Dialogue/Participation Strategies in Classroom Activities.

Juan-José Navarro,Laura Lara

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00173

Abstract

Dynamic Assessment (DA) has been shown to have more predictive value than conventional tests for academic performance. However, in relation to reading difficulties, further research is needed to determine the predictive validity of DA for specific aspects of the different processes involved in reading and the differential validity of DA for different subgroups of students with an academic disadvantage. This paper analyzes the implementation of a DA device that evaluates processes involved in reading (EDPL) among 60 students with reading comprehension difficulties between 9 and 16 years of age, of whom 20 have intellectual disabilities, 24 have reading-related learning disabilities, and 16 have socio-cultural disadvantages. We specifically analyze the predictive validity of the EDPL device over attitude toward reading, and the use of dialogue/participation strategies in reading activities in the classroom during the implementation stage. We also analyze if the EDPL device provides additional information to that obtained with a conventionally applied personal-social adjustment scale (APSL). Results showed that dynamic scores, obtained from the implementation of the EDPL device, significantly predict the studied variables. Moreover, dynamic scores showed a significant incremental validity in relation to predictions based on an APSL scale. In relation to differential validity, the results indicated the superior predictive validity for DA for students with intellectual disabilities and reading disabilities than for students with socio-cultural disadvantages. Furthermore, the role of metacognition and its relation to the processes of personal-social adjustment in explaining the results is discussed.

Highlights

Various models of Dynamic Assessment (DA) have been developed based on Vygotsky’s pioneering studies on the social construction of concepts in childhood and intervention in the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1934/1995, pp. 179–181), as well as on Feuerstein’s research on mediated learning experience and structural cognitive modifiability (Feuerstein, 1996)
We predicted that dynamic scores on the EDPL would be significantly related to above-mentioned variables, and that the correlations would be higher for the EDPL than for the APSL scale
We expected that the contextualized application of the EDPL device would provide additional information explaining students’ attitudes toward reading, and the use of dialogue/participation strategies in relation to the information provided by the standard application of the APSL scale

Summary

Introduction

Various models of Dynamic Assessment (DA) have been developed based on Vygotsky’s pioneering studies on the social construction of concepts in childhood and intervention in the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1934/1995, pp. 179–181), as well as on Feuerstein’s research on mediated learning experience and structural cognitive modifiability (Feuerstein, 1996). Most DA procedures have been developed within the context of students with intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, or socio-cultural disadvantages, and these are precisely the students for whom the level of effectiveness in the implementation of DA seems to be greatest (Campione and Brown, 1987; Carlson and Wiedl, 2000, 2013; Saldaña et al, 2007) In this regard, several studies have shown that children with very different schooling histories could achieve similar results on tests that assess their learning potential (Kaniel et al, 1991; Calero et al, 2013). Studies show significant gains in relation to specific domains such as reading or arithmetic (Swanson and Howard, 2005)

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