The impact of dynamic assessment on tertiary EFL students’ speaking skills

Authors

  • Prathana Siwathaworn Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
  • Jirada Wudthayagorn Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Keywords:

dynamic assessment, traditional assessment, speaking skills, elicited imitation, EFL students, Thailand

Abstract

This study discusses the use of dynamic assessment for pedagogical purposes. Conducting dynamic assessment (DA), grounded in Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD), we studied a group of Thai university students who had difficulties in speaking English. We adopted DA as an alternative assessment in the context of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). This investigation is aimed at the students’ potential to improve their speaking skills in the test task called elicited imitation (EI). EI, which prompted the students to repeat sentences, was used to target specific features of the students’ English speaking in this study namely meaning, syntax, vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. Through the test-train-retest design, DA improved the students’ English speaking. The findings of both qualitative and quantitative data indicated positive impacts of DA on the students. Data from retrospective interviews and diaries showed that DA brought about meaningful learning experiences. The students also exhibited positive attitudes toward DA. The findings suggest that DA can be used in a classroom practice to promote development in the students’ English speaking ability.

Author Biographies

  • Prathana Siwathaworn, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
    Ms. Prathana Siwathaworn is a Ph.D. candidate in an English as an International Language (EIL), Chulalongkorn University. She is an English language lecturer working in the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University. Her research interest is in sociocultural assessment.
  • Jirada Wudthayagorn, Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
    Asst. Prof. Jirada Wudhayagorn, Ph.D. is a lecturer of English at Chulalongkorn University Language Institute, and head of Language Assessment and Evaluation Track of English as an International Language (EIL) program at Chulalongkorn Graduate School. Her research interest is in language policy, and language assessment and evaluation.

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Published

2018-04-05

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

The impact of dynamic assessment on tertiary EFL students’ speaking skills. (2018). The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(1), 142-155. https://caes.hku.hk/ajal/index.php/ajal/article/view/514