The Study of the Assessments Based on the Concept of “Zone of Proximal Development”

Abstract

This paper considers "Dynamic Assessment", which is a method of assessing learners, and based on the concept of "Zone of Proximal Development". The dynamic assessment is implemented in the interactions of evaluators and learners, clarifying how learners are engaged in the problem-solving processes, and clarifies learner's possibilities in learning.

In this paper, two case studies are considered. One is a dynamic assessment in special education. It clarifies the learning possibility of a girl and proposes a way to instruct her. The other case study is curriculum-based dynamic assessment in junior high school. In this case, because interactions of evaluators and learners are described, we can see problem-solving processes and prompts. Based on these case studies, this paper examines how dynamic assessment is implemented in educational practices and it clarifies how to instruct children and how to implement dynamic assessment related to school curriculums. From these, the possibility of dynamic assessment as a educational method is considered.