Dynamic Assessment in Language Learning; An Overview and the Impact of Using Social Media

Abstract

Language assessment is a vital part of the process of learning and teaching a foreign language. Language learners need to be provided with the best methods to measure how much they are acquiring the target language and to select the most authentic tasks of testing for them. As it has been recommended to use multiple assessment instead of traditional summative one where nothing is concerned except measurement of decontextualized tasks without interactive feedback, dynamic assessment has been used as a means to reinforce learning and to motivate students as well as enhance language teaching. Dynamic assessment, can be rooted on Socio-cultural theory (SCT) and Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) by Vygotsky, as it allows for learning through interaction and mediation which indicates how beneficial it could be to utilize this method of assessment particularly through social media which is embedded nowadays with all of our daily tasks. Thus, this paper demonstrates the nature and effects of dynamic assessment as an influential method of assessing and maintaining the progress of language learners. Additionally, a comparison between dynamic assessment and static one is manifested. Besides, the theoretical background that supports this method is displayed. Moreover, how technology has been used effectively in language assessment and testing is illustrated. Furthermore, this paper presents implications and recommendations for further research regarding using social media to implement dynamic assessment in language learning which is considered the major goal of reviewing this literature.