DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS' ACADEMIC MOTIVATION DEVELOPMENT (TEACHING SPEAKING)

The paper is focused on the investigation of Dynamic Assessment approach as an alternative to standardized testing methods. Dating back to the Theory of Proximal Development developed by Vigotskiy, the methodology has been actively employed by the helping educationalists, mostly for students with special needs. Its potential is, however, undeservingly undervalued by subject teachers and methodologists, both those involved in schooling and higher education. The given article describes the results of the experiment aimed at using dynamic assessment principles in the scope of teaching English as a foreign language and its role in academic motivation. The control and experimental groups defined by the way of English language competence evaluation were involved in the experiment which lasted during an academic term, including interim and final academic performance reviews (intervention sessions). Speaking was selected as the targeted aspect, while the descriptors band and task format were in compliance with the IELTS examination to ensure a higher degree of reliability. Both groups were assessed twice during the term, each time their performance indicators were measured in two ways using the conventional (based on the learners' current ability at a specific period of time) and dynamic (measuring both the level of actual development and progress made) models respectively. The article reports on and analyzes the total assessment rates of students of both groups. To summarize, a preliminary conclusion is drawn on the positive influence of Dynamic assessment employment in teaching English as a foreign language at a University.