The Effects of Formative and Dynamic Assessments of Reading Comprehensions on Intermediate EFL Learners’ Test Anxiety

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of formative and dynamic assessments of reading comprehension on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety. To conduct the study, 50 out of 66 intermediate Iranian EFL learners, males (N= 22) and females (N=28) with age range of 14 to 19 were selected from a private institute based on their performance on the Oxford Placement Test (syndicate, 2001). They were randomly classified into formative and dynamic assessment groups of intermediate EFL learners which were 25 learners in each group. For the formative group the researchers administered reading comprehension test after teaching each reading task. The researcher provides feedback for each student based on their performance on the test separately. For dynamic group the researcher used sandwich model of dynamic assessment i.e. after each reading task the researcher administered reading comprehension test as a pre-test then after collecting pre-test information, the researcher provided mediation and necessary information for answering test question generally to students. The data were collected through the pre-test and the post-test. For pre-test and post-test the researcher used test anxiety questionnaire (Sarason, 1984). The data were analyzed using SPSS software. The result of this study showed that formative assessment of reading comprehension have statistically significant effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction and dynamic assessment of reading comprehension have statistically significant effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction. Also dynamic assessment of reading comprehension had more effect on intermediate EFL learners’ test anxiety reduction.