Developing EFL Learners’ Creativity in Writing Skill Through Dynamic Assessment-based Teaching

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Narges  Zarinkamar ¹ (Department of English, Ardabil branch, Islamic Azad university, Ardabil, Iran)
Reza  Abdi ² (ELT Department, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. Ardabil, Iran)
Mehran  Davaribina ³ (Department of English, Ardabil branch, Islamic Azad university, Ardabil, Iran)

Received: 2020-11-03 Accepted : 2021-03-13 Published : 2021-11-01

Keywords: writing skill, Creativity, Cake model, Dynamic Assessment (DA), Sandwich model,

Abstract :

The development of students’ creative potential is one of the objectives of educational programs in TEFL. The ability of TEFL teachers to achieve this objective to shape creative learning environments for their own students’ creative potential depends on their training in such a learning environment. This study attempted to investigate the effect of dynamic assessment-inspired teaching on the creativity of the EFL students, going through creative writing. This study tried to notice which model of dynamic assessment best affects creativity. The creative thinking scale in writing (Torrance, 1990) was used by the researchers to score the descriptors of creative thinking subscales. One-hundred EFL adult learners of both gender who aged between 20 to 22 were recruited to take part in the present study at Soure art and Architecture University, and a sequential explanatory mixed-method design was utilized. The control group received no mediation, and the other two classes received sandwich and cake models of dynamic assessment-related mediations, respectively. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 12 students and three main questions were asked. A thematic analysis was done using qualitative MAXQDA Software which showed a positive attitude of the learners toward this. The results have shown that both the sandwich and cake model of dynamic assessment influenced the creativity of the learners in their writing. Besides, the sandwich model was more beneficial than the cake model.

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