Dynamic assessment to improve students’ summary writing skill in an ESP class

Abstract

Dynamic assessment is one kind of assessment that integrates the process of interaction within the implementation. The method is based on Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development theory which mentions that the students need guidance in a learning process before they can solve the problem individually. The use of dynamic assessment has been proved to be effective in improving the students’ skill in teaching of English as a foreign language (TEFL) settings. This study aims to investigate the role of dynamic assessment in improving the students’ summary writing skill in an English for specific purposes (ESP) class. The method used was quasi-experimental in design. The subjects were 22 students of a public library technician programme in a public university in Indonesia. They were divided into two groups; an experimental group, and a control group. The experimental group received the treatment of dynamic assessment, while the control group did not. The data were gathered through pre-tests and post-tests. The data of pre-test and post-test were tabulated and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The result showed that the implementation of dynamic assessment is effective in improving the students’ skill in summary writing.