Synthesizing transformative education with dynamic assessment in developing EFL learners’ productive skills

Abstract

This study was an initiative to investigate the extent to which synthesizing Transformative Education (TE) with Dynamic Assessment (DA) can contribute to developing EFL learners’ productive skills; speaking and writing. To do so, 105 Iranian university students majoring in English language were randomly assigned into four different classes, as control and experimental groups. The control groups were instructed based on pure TE-oriented approach, whereas the experimental groups were instructed based on the integration of TE with DA. Given the nature of the research questions, only the speaking and writing post-tests’ data meeting the required normality assumptions were analyzed based on parametric statistical approach (i.e. Independent Samples t-tests). The analyses revealed a significant difference between control and experimental groups in terms of both speaking and writing performances. So, TE integrated with DA is suggested as an innovative trend in foreign language education. The main implication might be for the practices in higher education to incorporate classroom activities such as critical thinking and class projects in their instructional delivery so that students would have the chance to participate in the teaching-learning process.