The Effect of Interventionist Dynamic Assessment on Language Learners’ Reading Comprehension

Subject Areas : All areas of language and translation

Hossein Shokri ¹ , Mohammad Reza Khodareza ²

1 - PhD candidate, Department of English Language Teaching, Aliabad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of English, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran

Received: 2021-09-02 Accepted : 2021-09-02 Published : 2021-09-01

Keywords: reading comprehension, Dynamic Assessment, Peer-assisted mediation, Tutor-intervention,

Abstract :

Collaborative Reading Strategies could help language learners to develop a more teamwork environment for students. and in this research study, researchers investigate the effect of peer-assisted mediation vs. tutor-intervention within interventionist dynamic assessment on the reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate learners. For this purpose, 60 language learners were recruited as the main participants of the study. They were divided into three groups: Experimental group A as peer-mediation, experimental group B as tutor-intervention, group C as control. After this, a pre-test of reading comprehension was given to all the groups. Each group of participants received their own treatment. The treatment took 12 sessions. One session was allocated to proficiency test and pretest and one session for posttest. At the end of the treatment the post test was administered. Findings suggested that involving learners in literature peer mediation and tutor intervention in an interventionist dynamic atmosphere can have significantly positive effects on their reading comprehension. The results of the findings could help language learners to make decision about their own learning experience. They, could also become autonomous who will have enough courage to participate in group discussion. Finding out the effect of interventionist dynamic assessment either with the help of classmates (more knowledgeable peers) or teachers on language skills such as reading comprehension can be of high importance in an EFL context. Iranian EFL teachers and materials developers can benefit from the findings of this study by providing students with suitable tasks based on their assessment needs.

References:

Allal, J. H. and Ducrey, P. (2000). A. H. (1984). Reading in a Foreign Language. London: Longman.

Black, J. and Wiliam, L. (1998). Teaching reading. In D. Nunan (Ed.), Practical English language teaching (pp. 67-86). New York: McGraw Hill Publishers.

Broadfoot, P. (2005). Becoming a Nation of Readers. The National Academy of Education & the Center for the Study of Reading.

Caffrey, B. Fuchs, L. and Fuchs, C. (2008). Academic achievement, academic selfconcept, and academic motivation of immigrant adolescents in the Greater Toronto Area Secondary Schools. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(4), 700-743.

Cumming, L. (2009). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28, 117-4

Crooks, C. (1988). Learning to Read: The Great Debate. New York: McGraw Hill.

Crick, H. and Yu, L (2008). Relationship of motivation, strategic learning, and reading achievement in grades 5, 7, and 9. Journal of Experimental Education, 62(4), 319-340.

Dysthe, G. (2011). Acquisition of vocabulary from the Sweet Valley Kids series: Adult ESL acquisition. Journal of Reading, 37, 662–667.

Fulcher, B. (2010). Interactive models for second language reading: Perspectives on instruction. In P. L. Carrell, J. Devine & D. E. Eskey (Eds.), Interactive approaches to second language reading (pp. 223-238). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Freire, P. (1970). From talk to print: Preparing students to read with ease. Field Notes, 10 (2), 96-108.

Gipps, K. (1994). Reading: A psycholinguistic Guessing Game. Journal of the Reading Specialist, 4, 126-135.

Grab, W. (2009). Current developments in second language reading research. TESOL Quarterly, 25(3), 375-406.

Gregorenko, G. (2002). Beyond the culture wars. New York: Norton.

Grigorenko, G. (2009). Extensive reading and the development of language skills. ELT Journal, 43 (1), 4-13.

Kirkland, L. (1971). Creative Reading. London: Demos.

Lantolf, K. and Poehner, D. (2008). The process of reading comprehension and factors influencing comprehension. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 4, 40-46.

Moffett, K. & Wagner, J. (1983). Reading versus grammar: What students think is pleasurable for language acquisition. Applied Language Learning, 5(2), 95-100.

Nazari, J. (2012). The psychology of reading for pleasure: Needs and gratifications. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 6-50.

Pearson, F. and Tierney, S. (1984). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and wellbeing. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.

Poehner, M. (2008). Metacognition and self-regulated instruction. In A. Farstrup & S. Samuels (Eds.), what research has to say about reading instruction (3rd ed., pp. 291-309). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Shepard, T. (2000). Control and information in the intrapersonal sphere: An extension of cognitive evaluation theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43, 450-461.

Stanford, D. and Roark, Y. (1974). Methodology in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Staton, A. (1984). Progress in understanding reading: Scientific foundations and new frontiers. New York: Guilford Press.

Sternberg, N. & Grigorenko, B (2002). Preventing reading difficulties in young children (Prepublication Copy). Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Swain, H. (2001), Concept-oriented reading instruction: Engaging classrooms, lifelong learners. New York: Guilford Press.

Tabachnick, F. & Fidell, G. (2007). Situation- and task-specific motivation in foreign-language learning. Joensuu: University of Joensuu

Vygotsky, L. S. (1987). Thinking and speech. In R. W. Rieber & A. S. Carton (eds.), The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky. Vol. 1. Problems of general psychology (pp. 39-285). New York: Plenum.

Wells, G. (2000). Dialogic Inquiry: Towards a Sociocultural Practice and Theory of Education. New York: Cambridge University Press

Williams, J. & Burden, H. (2002). Voices of the mind: A sociocultural approach to mediated action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.