A Microgenetic Mixed Methods Study of the Effects of Different Types of Interactionist Dynamic Assessment on EFL Learners’ Speaking Ability

Within the context of EFL/ESL education, there has been growing interest in how Dynamic Assessment (DA) can shape the development of speaking ability through interactive, scaffolded mediation. The present mixed-methods study set out to examine the microgenetic effects of three types of interactionist DA, individual, peer, and concurrent group, on Iranian upper-intermediate EFL learners’ speaking ability. Forty-six participants engaged in the DA sessions where the mediations were delivered according to a graduated regulatory scale, progressing from implicit to explicit prompts as required during the used communicative speaking tasks. The microgenetic analysis of classroom interactions focused on Language-Related Episodes (LREs) and captured the moment-to-moment developmental trajectories of the learners. The results demonstrated that both individual and group DA fostered more substantial shifts from other-regulation to self-regulation in speaking performance, particularly in the refinement of grammatical accuracy and discourse management, whereas peer mediation yielded more incremental progress. The observed fluctuations across the sessions reflected the dynamic and non-linear nature of L2 oral development in the course of DA interventions. The findings underscore the value of detailed microgenetic examination of LREs in understanding and supporting oral proficiency and point to the importance of responsive, dialogic mediation in EFL speaking pedagogy.