Dynamic Assessment
1. Introduction:
Dynamic Assessment (DA) is an educational approach that assesses a learner's potential for growth and development by focusing on their ability to learn and adapt. Unlike traditional assessments that merely measure current knowledge or skills, DA emphasizes the learning process, providing valuable insights into a student's cognitive strategies and capacity to learn with support. It involves a cycle of assessment, teaching, and re-assessment to offer a comprehensive(全方位的/廣泛的 ) understanding of individual learning needs.
Dynamic assessment takes into account the individual's ability to learn and adapt through interaction with a skilled assessor (與註重固定結果的傳統評估不同，動態評估考慮了個人通過與熟練評估者互動來學習和適應的能力。). It's an approach that values the learning process, offering insights into a learner's cognitive and learning strategies, their ability to benefit from instruction, and their capacity to engage in learning with appropriate support.
2. Advantages and Method of Dynamic Assessment:
Dynamic Assessment offers several advantages over traditional assessment methods. It identifies a learner's learning potential and helps design tailored instruction to meet their needs. By emphasizing interaction and intervention, DA assesses not only what a learner knows, but also their ability to learn. The method involves the following steps:
I do (Teacher-Centered)
Pre-Assessment: Initial assessment of the learner's skills.
Interaction: Dialogue to understand the learner's strategies and reasoning.
Teaching: Targeted instruction and strategies are introduced.
We do (Guided Practice)
Assisted Performance: Learner applies strategies with support.
You do (Student-Centered)
Re-Assessment: Learner's performance is evaluated after intervention.
Analysis
Future instructions
預評估：對學習者技能的初步評估。
互動：通過對話了解學習者的策略和推理。
教學：有針對性的教學和策略介紹。
輔助表現：學習者在支持下應用策略。
重新評估：干預後評估學習者的表現。
The method's cyclical nature provides educators with a holistic view of a student's progress, enabling them to adapt instruction effectively.
3. Example for Reading Comprehension Activity:
Activity: Dynamic Assessment for Reading Comprehension Potential
Objective: To assess and enhance(提高) a student's reading comprehension skills by using Dynamic Assessment techniques.
Steps:
Pre-Assessment: The teacher begins with an initial(最初的) assessment of the student's reading comprehension abilities. They may present a text at an appropriate difficulty level and ask the student to read it, followed by a series of questions to gauge their understanding.
Interaction: After the initial assessment, the teacher engages in a dialogue with the student. They might ask open-ended questions about the text to understand the student's thought processes, reasoning abilities(推理能力), and strategies they use to comprehend the content.
Teaching: Based on the initial assessment and the interaction, the teacher identifies areas where the student needs support. They provide targeted instruction, introducing strategies for effective reading comprehension, such as making predictions, summarizing, and identifying key points.
Assisted Performance: The teacher provides assistance as the student engages with a new text using the newly introduced strategies. The teacher offers guidance and prompts(提示) to help the student apply the strategies effectively.
Re-Assessment: After receiving instruction and support, the student is presented with a different text, similar in complexity to the first one. The teacher observes how the student's performance has changed. Are they using the new strategies? Are they demonstrating improved comprehension?
Analysis: The teacher evaluates the changes in the student's performance. Did the student show improvement? How effectively did they apply the new strategies? This analysis informs the teacher's understanding of the student's learning potential and areas that may still require support.
Future Instruction: Based on the assessment and re-assessment outcomes, the teacher tailors future instruction to address the specific needs of the student. This might involve refining strategies, introducing new ones, or focusing on different aspects of comprehension.
By utilizing Dynamic Assessment, the teacher gains deeper insights into the student's learning process, enabling them to provide more personalized and effective instruction. This approach is particularly valuable in accommodating diverse learning styles and needs within a classroom.
4. Example for Vocabulary Learning Activity:
Activity: Vocabulary Learning with Dynamic Assessment
Objective: Assess and enhance a student's vocabulary learning potential using Dynamic Assessment.
Steps:
Pre-Assessment: Provide the student with a list of unfamiliar words. Ask them to define or use each word in a sentence.
Interaction: Engage the student in a discussion about their strategies for learning new words. What methods do they use? How do they remember meanings?
Teaching: Introduce effective vocabulary learning strategies, such as creating associations, using the words in context, and visual aids.
Assisted Performance: Provide a new set of words. Have the student use the new strategies to learn the words. Offer guidance and feedback as needed.
Re-Assessment: After a period of time, ask the student to recall the meanings of the previously introduced words as well as the new ones. Observe if the new strategies have improved their retention.
Analysis: Evaluate the student's progress. Have they incorporated the new strategies? Did their retention improve? Assess their ability to adapt and apply new approaches.
Future Instruction: Based on the assessment outcomes, provide further guidance. If necessary, introduce additional strategies or refine the existing ones.
This activity not only assesses the student's vocabulary learning abilities but also provides insights into their cognitive processes. It tailors instruction to their individual needs, allowing them to develop effective learning strategies.
Incorporating Dynamic Assessment into language classrooms promotes a deeper understanding of students' learning potentials and helps educators create a more adaptive and personalized learning environment.
Image by ResearchGate from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparisons-of-static-assessment-versus-dynamic-assessment_tbl1_340096485
Comments