Dynamic Assessment in the Language Classroom

While reading this article, the terms, Dynamic assessment, Vygotsky's theory of the Zone of the Proximal Development, Formative assessment, and Summative assessment stood out for me. I realized that I may have used some mediations of these assessments at one time or another in my classroom. What makes this article interesting for me are the relationships and differences of interpretations among these assessments when used between the teacher and the students. The authors defined Dynamic assessment as outstanding for being systematic which is aimed at long term development; unity of true assessment and instruction for learner development; and that DA, as defined by Luria, is that an assisted learner with performance tasks benefits to finishing tasks are able to transfer their performance to different tasks. This article as given me ideas to make assessment improvements with students in my classroom.