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Dynamic Assessment of College EFL Learners’ Speaking Proficiency: A Case Study

  • Xin QU

    Xin QU is Professor at the School of English Studies, Beijing International Studies University. Her research focus has been language assessment and foreign language education.

    and Yuanyuan LIU

    Yuanyuan LIU obtained her MA in Applied Linguistics at the School of English Studies, Beijing International Studies University. She is currently working as an English teacher at Tsinghua University High School Guanzhuang Campus, in Beijing. Her research interests are language assessment and foreign language education.

Published/Copyright: November 25, 2022
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Abstract

To investigate the impact of dynamic assessment (DA) on the development of speaking skills, a case study was conducted, recruiting a non-English major undergraduate. DA was constructed following the design combining sandwich and cake format with an interactionist approach. To collect data, a profile was designed in accordance with the China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) to record the learner’s changes. A semi-structured interview was conducted to reveal his perspectives on DA. The generated profile with specific mediator-learner’s moves revealed the learner’s microgenetic development in both organizational knowledge and oral expression strategy ability. The thematic analysis of the interview demonstrated the learner’s positive experience with DA, while also unveiling the weak points of DA. Finally, the operational framework for applying interactionist DA in the oral classroom was discussed, and the complementary relationship between DA and traditional teaching and testing practices was highlighted.

About the authors

Professor Xin QU

Xin QU is Professor at the School of English Studies, Beijing International Studies University. Her research focus has been language assessment and foreign language education.

Yuanyuan LIU

Yuanyuan LIU obtained her MA in Applied Linguistics at the School of English Studies, Beijing International Studies University. She is currently working as an English teacher at Tsinghua University High School Guanzhuang Campus, in Beijing. Her research interests are language assessment and foreign language education.

Acknowledgments

This article was supported by the Project of Research on the Evaluation of the Cultivation of Language Talents for International Cultural Communication in Beijing (No. 19JDYYB003), which is funded by Beijing Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science.

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Published Online: 2022-11-25
Published in Print: 2022-11-25

© 2022 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy

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