The Effect of Mobile-mediated Dynamic Assessment on EFL Learners’ L2 Vocabulary Knowledge

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Afrooz Rezaei ¹ , Fatemeh Behjat ² , Mohammad Sadegh Bagheri ³

1 - Department of English, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of English, Abadeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abadeh, Iran
3 - Department of English, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2021-11-19 Accepted : 2021-12-25 Published : 2022-09-01

Keywords: MALL, Zone of actual development, Dynamic Assessment, L2 Vocabulary, EFL learners,

Abstract :

This study examined the effect of mobile-mediated dynamic assessment (DA) to enhance English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary learning. To this end, 78 pre-intermediate level EFL learners learning English at a language institute were selected based on their availability to the researcher. The participants were randomly assigned to three equal groups (one control and two experimental). Next, the vocabulary pre-test was conducted for all participants to observe their development throughout the instruction. WhatsApp was used in one of the experimental groups (mobile-mediated DA), and 26 students entered a talk group where DA was applied. The second experimental group received DA in class (in-class DA). The control group assessed the participants’ zone of actual development (ZAD) at various points in the course. Concerning the experimental groups, a scale of prompts was used to mediate the learning process when students made an error, and the researcher acted as a mediator. The results showed that mobile-mediated DA was successful in enhancing EFL students’ vocabulary learning. Moreover, a reduction in the prompt's mean score at the end of the course suggested that fewer prompts were required to divert the participants’ attention to the error. The findings of this study can lead to a better understanding of the pedagogical importance of mobile-mediated DA.

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