Dynamic Assessment: A Dialectical Integration of Assessment and Instruction

Abstract

Formative assessment (FA), in contrast to product-oriented summative assessment, is carried out in the classroom for the purpose of providing students with developmental feedback. Closely related to instruction, FA is done to analyze both learning goals and the instructional processes involved. This kind of classroom-based assessment can be used to raise the learners’ awareness of the language content and lesson objectives (Rea-Dickins, 2001; Rea-Dickins, 2006; Rea-Dickins & Gardner, 2000). According to Rea-Dickens (2007), good FA practices provide learners with ample opportunities for language practice through engaging them in collaborative learning activities and offering them self- and peer- assessment opportunities.