Individual Dynamic Assessment: An Analysis of Iranian EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension Errors

Abstract

Error analysis is very important in facilitating listening comprehension. By error identifications, teachers can help learners to practice more in the problematic areas. However, only a few research studies investigated error analysis in listening comprehension and nearly no study has been conducted on the analysis of errors in a dynamic assessment-based (DA) instruction; therefore, the present study tends to investigate the listening source of errors which hinders listening comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. To achieve this, the present study conducted a detailed description of the listening process framework in an interactive EFL listening classroom. That is, an interactionist dynamic assessment-based approach was applied to investigate the source of EFL learners' listening comprehension errors. The participants included six lower intermediate students. The materials used in the enrichment sessions (eight sessions lasting for one hour in DA-based instruction) were listening tracks taken from Listening Advantage Book 3. The qualitative analysis of data revealed that the learners' listening comprehension problems could be categorized into (1) unknown words, (2) grammatical structures, (3) pronunciation, (4) lengthy sentences and (5) unfamiliar phrases or collocations. Finally, according to the findings, it can be concluded that learners' errors are indicators of learners' mastery in a performing task therefore; teachers can both figure out the level of their students and are able to understand what kinds of problems students encounter while practicing listening comprehension in classes and instruct them accordingly.