Abstract:

Introduction

Dynamic assessment (DA) has often focused on the analysis of general cognitive functions and finding values that predict comparatively better than IQ tests, the subsequent performance of the subjects (Kozulin & Garb, 2001, Sternberg & Grigorenko, 2003). Often, however, this approach allows only the collection of statistical parameters of validity, without impacting significantly on the educational context. This work has responded to alternative proposals of DA that incorporate contextualised activities closely related to educational contents (Wells, 2001; Lidz, 2006) and for which the prediction was not the primary objective (Delclos et al. 1992; Ruijssenaars et al., 1993, Jensen, 2000, Elliott, 2003). These proposals mean that the basic objective is the improvement of subjects and the optimization of the educational process (Schlee, 1985; Mora, 1997; Navarro, 2008). The importance of establishing the predictive value of a dynamic test is based in this way on data obtained to infer mechanisms of action of the test and make suggestions to optimize the learning process.

The aim of this presentation focuses on establishing the predictive value of DA device in relation to school performance and analyze the extent provided additional information regarding testing of understanding, personal-social adjustment or IQ.

Method

We used two external criteria: (a) the assessment of academic performance and progress, and (b) the qualifications in the area of language. The participating teachers must assess, using a qualitative scale into four levels, each of the seven proposed assessment criteria. Also, they should assess, for each of these criteria, if the subject had progressed or not during the experimental phase. The sample consisted of 60 subjects (EG) with learning disabilities (LD) which was managed DA device and two CG (73 subjects with LD and 202 without LD).

Results

Dynamics scores (DS), obtained from the application of the EDPL device (dynamic assessment of processes involved in reading tasks), showed values of prediction on school performance and progress, significantly higher than those shown by the various approximations static evaluation of reading and evaluation of the IQ. With regard to tests of comprehension, analysis showed that pretest scores did not predict the direction of the observed differences between the initial and final phases, whereas DS significantly predicted academic performance and progress. Analysis performed for gainers and non-gainers (Budoff, 1987), in both groups revealed that the DS explained better than the pretest assessment of performance. With regard to the scale of personal-social adjustment (APSL), the DS showed a predictive value of performance significantly higher than scores in APSL, whether initial or postest. This higher predictive value was also revealed with regard to the attitude to reading, while the CG for the pretest was the only variable significantly explaining performance and progress, the regression equation of EG only to DS, both variables explaining performance and significant progress. Finally, with regard to the analysis of the predictive value of EDPL on cognitive performance, the results showed that improvement scores in EG significantly predicted the postest, in this sense, the percentage of variance explained by the improvement would reveal the substantial contribution of the treatment applied.

Keywords:

dynamic assessment, reading disabilities, predictive value.