Applicability of Peer-dynamic Assessment in Crowded Second Language Classes

Abstract

One of the criticisms leveled against Dynamic Assessment (DA), with a robust theoretical foundation rooted in Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), has been its applicability in populated L2 classes. The present paper, therefore, aimed to explore the applicability of Peer-Dynamic Assessment (Peer-DA), as a novel approach to DA, to ameliorate this concern. In order to achieve the goal, 15 fourth-grade female Iranian high school students, aged 15-17, were assigned into trios groups. After having been instructed to know how to apply Peer-DA procedures in their groups during three sessions, they worked on ten reading texts during ten one-hour sessions held twice a week. When the participants were trying to comprehend the texts and learn the embedded vocabulary within the texts, their interactions were meticulously audio-recorded. Next, a number of episodes were selected, transcribed, and microgenetically analyzed. Analyzing the obtained revealed that not only does Peer-DA have the capability for diagnosing developing abilities but it also can improve the developing abilities in a much more efficient way. More importantly, it was demonstrated that if the principles and procedures of peer-DA be taught to L2 learners, they can be utilized by learners in large classes to facilitate language learning processes. The implications of the present study were discussed from a sociocultural perspective for both ESL/EFL teachers and learners.

The Use of Dynamic Assessment for Group Learners in the Language Classroom: A Literature Review

“…When one group member made an error, other group members used DA to mediate them to find and correct the errors. Despite that positive evidence that learners reached intended answers with the mediation of Peer-DA, Khoshsima and Rezaee (2016) only admitted the Peer-DA's facilitation in the reading comprehension and vocabulary learning, and did not draw conclusions on its applicability given the limitations of their study. Davin and Donato (2013) proposed to complement DA in classroom with small group work to mediate the group of learners.…”

“…Besides G-DA, alternative DA approaches are adopted to address group learners, such as Peer-DA and the combination of DA and other instructional techniques. Khoshsima and Rezaee (2016) proposed the idea of Peer-DA (the more capable peers give mediations to other learners, based on the principles of DA). Their study focused on Peer-DA's applicability in reading comprehension and vocabulary learning in the language classroom.…”

Cultivating Grammar Knowledge of EFL Learners through Informed Peer-Dynamic Assessment

“…In static or so-called non-DA, when students are assessed, great efforts are made to assure that assessment procedures are the same for everyone, and any interaction or intervention during the assessment itself is viewed as unfair or even cheating. From the perspective of static assessment's advocates, instruction and assessment are considered as two enterprises which rarely feed into each other (Khoshsima & Rezaee, 2016). Often times the testers wait for the instruction to be completed, and then they start to measure what learners have acquired from the offered instruction.…”