Exploring the Effects of Mediation in Group-Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) Approach for an Iranian Undergraduate EFL Writing Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 72-89
Author(s):  
Mahboobeh Saadat ◽  
Omid Mallahi
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Group Dynamic ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Class Dynamic ◽  
Writing Competence

The present study employed a cumulative format of Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA), an assessment approach that integrates instruction into assessment, and adopted an interactionist approach to DA to conduct a semester-long mediation program in a writing course, which aimed at improving the writing ability of 15 (8 males and seven females) intermediate proficiency level sophomore students of English Language and Literature, in a State University in Iran. The students’ performances on non-dynamic writing pre- and post-tests and nine in-class dynamic writing tasks, completed during the DA sessions, were compared using independent samples t-test and mixed between-within subjects analysis variance (ANOVA), respectively. More specifically, the participants were divided into the two groups of more-skilled and less-skilled student writers, and then their performance was compared. The results indicated that the mediation offered had been highly effective in improving the writing competence of both groups of more- and less-skilled writers. They have been equally able to benefit from the mediation received and resolve their problems in writing. In addition, the dominant patterns of tutor mediational and learner reciprocity moves from a recorded DA intervention session were identified to see how they can lead to the learners’ writing development.

Effects of Group Dynamic Assessment on L2 Chinese learners’ literacy development: Learners’ responsiveness to interactive mediation

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Ting Kao
Keyword(s):  
Literacy Development ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Nonverbal Behaviors ◽  
Group Dynamic ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
L2 Chinese ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Individual Participant ◽  
Rhetorical Structures

AbstractDynamic Assessment (DA), an innovative assessment approach, has begun to attract attention as a conceptualization of assessment that emphasizes the social interactive role of learning. Although DA receives attention in the field of language testing/assessment, its feasibility in engaging larger cohorts of individuals is concerned. This shortcoming of DA leads to the application of Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA). This study examined the extent to which mediation provided through G-DA frameworks – concurrent and cumulative – supported a group of language learners’ literacy development. It investigates five intermediate L2 Chinese learners’ rhetorical awareness via their performance on Chinese reading and writing tasks. One Chinese rhetorical structures, the ‘Qi-cheng-zhuan-he’ approach, was selected because it is considered the most difficult learning point for Chinese learners. Findings were reported: 1) the mediation provided to the participants through both concurrent and cumulative G-DA approaches promoted their understanding of the ‘Qi-cheng-zhuan-he’ approach, 2) the more times a participant engaged as the primary interactant, the better learning outcome he/she would present, 3) individual participant had different developmental level and thus showed various extent of responsiveness to the teacher’s mediation; yet, their active participation, either verbal or nonverbal behaviors, would foster their learning performance. Pedagogical applications are discussed.

scholarly journals Actualizing Language Learners’ Potentials through Mediation: Cumulative vs Concurrent Group Dynamic Assessment and Students’ Self-management of Learning Tasks

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 802
Author(s):  
Seyyed Hossein Sanaeifar ◽  
Maryam Seifi Divcolaii
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Teaching Style ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Group Dynamic ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning Tasks ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Study Participants

This study aims to investigate the effect of implementing cumulative GDA and concurrent GDA on students’ self-management of learning tasks among Iranian intermediate EFL learners. For conducting this study 40 homogenized intermediate EFL learners were selected from private English language institutes in Sari. For collecting data in this study, participants were randomly divided into two groups named concurrent GDA group and cumulative GDA group. For measuring learners’ self-management on learning tasks before the instructional phase, the researchers used the learners’ self-management on learning tasks questionnaire (SLTQ). At the instructional phase, both groups were exposed to GDA procedures on doing their learning tasks. The cumulative GDA group members were exposed to cumulative GDA teaching. On the other hands, in concurrent GDA group the learners were exposed to concurrent GDA teaching style. After the instructional phase, the SLTQ was administered by the researchers in order to evaluate learners’ self-management on learning tasks. The data analysis revealed that both cumulative and concurrent GDA had has statistically significant effect on promoting students’ self-management on learning tasks. But the cumulative GDA group outperformed the concurrent GDA group.

scholarly journals Dynamic Assessment Approach in Language Teaching: A Review

Zona Próxima ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 82-99
Author(s):  
Lizeth Katherine Vergara Cabarcas ◽  
◽  
José Luis López Caraballo ◽  
Dilson Javier Castellon Barrios ◽  
Carlos Alberto Vásquez Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Teaching ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Assessment Approach

Dynamic Assessment as a Compensatory Assessment Approach

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 6-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha K. Jitendra ◽  
Edward J. Kameenui
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Assessment Approach

scholarly journals Helping Second Language Student Writers Improve Their Revision

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Wenzhe Kang ◽  
Ruiyi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Language Students

Writing ability is a comprehensive evaluation of language learning level. Nowadays, most universities offer writing-related courses to help students lay a good foundation for writing and contribute to their subsequent studies. Compared with native English speakers, second language learners need to do more revision, which is a great challenge for second language learners. Therefore, in this paper, the aim is to make the second language students understand and apply the revision correctly.    

scholarly journals An Action Research on EFL Writing Dilemmas: A Case of Saudi Students and Instructors

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Alkubaidi
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Sole Source ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Language Writing ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
Writing Competence ◽  
Writing Curricula

Learning to write in a second language is a great challenge for students; however, certain factors might minimize these challenges. In general, the Saudi students face difficulty to develop the writing competence in a foreign language because they rely on instructors as a sole source of knowledge. Therefore, the study investigated the English language writing in a university in Saudi Arabia. It implemented an action research design based on three main phases; namely, exploration, intervention, and reflection stage. The main questions asked include how the instructors view the writing style of students within the setting and how they perceived the English language writing curricula among the students. The data drew several conclusions that provided insight into the Saudi Higher Education concerning English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. The first is the spoon-feeding of Saudi learners throughout their educational years; therefore, they find it challenging to gain hold of their learning. Second, writing in English is a challenging task for Saudi students. Third, some of the students memorize writing passages to pass their English course. Fourthly, teaching to write was done by focusing on form, writing mechanics, rather than communicative aspects of writing and genre. This study has contributed towards the understanding of Saudi learners in university language classrooms analyzing their perceptions and expectations.

scholarly journals A Discourse Analysis: Cohesion of the Introduction Section of Research Article

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Anis Firdatul Rochma ◽  
Sulis Triyono
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Lexical Cohesion ◽  
Research Article ◽  
English Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Competence

<em>As an effort to give contribution to the existing knowledge, it is expected for the undergraduate students to compose an engaging research article in order to convince the readers about the importance of the research article. However, there is only a little attention given to the articles written by the undergraduate students although it is considered very critical to examine whether the exposure of English academic writing has significantly enhances the writing competence of the students. Furthermore, as it is also very crucial to build a meaningful semantic meaning among the sentences in order to disclose the worthiness of the research article, it is essential to analyze the cohesion of the research article written by the undergraduate students. Henceforth, the present research is projected to investigate the cohesion of the research articles written by the undergraduate students of English Language Teaching. As the introduction section of research article is likely to be an area to portray the logical explanation of the research, the present research solely focuses on examining the cohesion of the introduction section of research article. By adopting a qualitative design and involving several steps to analyze the introduction section, it is revealed that the grammatical cohesion is considered to be the most utilized type of cohesion in writing the introduction section. Still, the lexical cohesion is also necessary to build an eloquent semantic meaning about the topic as well the importance of the research article.</em>

Improving Online Readability in a Web 2.0 Context

2009 ◽  
pp. 385-410
Author(s):  
John Paul Loucky
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
English Language ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Online Reading ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Pedagogical Innovations ◽  
User Friendly

This study describes a task-based assessment (TBA) approach to teaching reading and writing online. It then analyzes key factors emerging from the results of implementing this approach with graduate engineering students in Japan. It is argued that these factors should be considered when designing or assessing any online reading or writing course for ESL/EFL students. The findings of this study are especially relevant to task-based approaches and technical or pedagogical innovations which can help foster more effective and enjoyable learning for teachers and students in blended learning environments. It is hoped that this discussion can serve as a model of what can be done to enhance online EAP/ESP/ETP courses, as well as any other online reading or writing course being designed for speakers and readers of languages other than English. The goal in this chapter is to summarize research aimed at integrating some of the most useful Web sites for English language learning into a user-friendly system for optimal online vocabulary development — which could be self-monitored by students as well as tracked by teachers via a course management system.

scholarly journals Creating a writing course to improve the writing self-efficacy of graduate nursing students

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa B. Robinson ◽  
Mary Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Nursing Program ◽  
First Semester ◽  
School Of Nursing ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Writing Competence ◽  
Graduate Nursing

Objective: Contemporary advanced professional nursing requires the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral forms. Many registered nurses enter graduate nursing school with experience writing in medical records but with no experience writing scholarly papers or writing for publication. This article describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a writing course developed in an online graduate nursing program in the southeastern United States. The goal of this research was to determine if graduate nursing students’ writing self-efficacy increased after the completion of a newly developed one-credit online writing course.Methods: Fifty-three first-semester graduate nursing students participated in a 16-week online asynchronous writing course developed at a school of nursing. The course instructors designed writing experiences with the goal of increasing writing competency. The faculty defined writing competence as achieving mastery of the necessary writing skills to produce an organized, logical, understandable message containing the effective use of language, grammar, and punctuation.Results: The students’ writing self-efficacy increased significantly from pretest and posttest. The results revealed a significant increase in self efficacy scores with the second administration of the tool. The mean of the 20-question Likert scale pretest was 70.59. Results obtained after the conclusion of the course resulted in a mean of 80.12. The finding of a mean increase of 9.529 was found to be statistically significant.Conclusions: The information from this research can be used to develop effective strategies to support online graduate students with their writing skills. This experience highlights the fact that we cannot leave the development of academic writing to chance. Achieving academic writing success requires structured instruction, practice and frequent feedback from faculty who have the passion for and expertise in scholarly writing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document