Dynamic Assessment in EFL Writing Classes at the Tertiary Level with an Online Automated Essay Scoring System

摘要

Based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of mind, and with reference to the latest development of assessment theories, three constructional principles for writing assessment were proposed in light of process writing theories: the integration of assessment and instruction, the design of graduated and serialized interaction, and the improvement of interactive environment.Based on such principles, a dynamic assessment (DA hereafter) mode was constructed for EFL writing classes at the tertiary level, incorporating such interventional measures as the design of scaffolding mediational strategies for each stage of writing process, the adoption of an online automated essay scoring system, and the establishment of a relevant reference resources corpus.It is proposed that the success of such a DA mode for EFL writing classes will lie in its construction of an English writing learning community, along with a more sensible distribution of the jobs among the teachers and students, so that better interaction can be formed between them, making it possible to promote both the improvement of teaching and the development of the students’ writing ability.