Bridging the Gap Between Diagnostic Assessment and Classroom Practice

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate teachers’ opinions of and responses to reports and recommendations based on dynamic assessment or traditional assessment as part of a psychodiagnostic procedure. One hundred six typical first grade elementary school children participated, as well as their 18 teachers, distributed over an experimental, semi-control and control condition. Children were administered either a dynamic test (Learning Potential Test for Inductive Reasoning) or a static test (Raven’s Progressive Matrices). Teachers were observed and interviewed and asked to estimate the learning potential for each child, prior to assessment as well as after recommendations, to assess possible changes and determine their responses to the provided reports and recommendations. Results showed teachers’ appreciation for specific contents of the dynamic assessment reports (e.g., learning potential, need for and type of instruction). Teachers rated most recommendations as applicable and even changed some aspects of their teaching practices in response to recommendations; suggesting that dynamic assessment provides the tools to link assessment to teaching practice.