L2 development around tests: Learner response processes and dynamic assessment

This paper examines learner response processes during a Dynamic Assessment (DA) of L2 reading comprehension. We present a detailed case analysis of an L2 French learner whose success in responding to a comprehension item obscures her understanding of the text and the challenges it poses. This aligns with research indicating that learners may orient to such assessments as problem-solving rather than comprehension activities (Rupp, Fern, and Choi 2006). In DA, learner response processes are externalized through dialogue with the assessor, or mediator, who does not simply document these processes but intervenes. We trace how the mediator regulates learner orientation to the task, pursues reasons behind learner choices, and cooperates with the learner to create opportunities for learning during the assessment.