Exploring the Effects of Mediation in Group-Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) Approach for an Iranian Undergraduate EFL Writing Course

The present study employed a cumulative format of Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA), an assessment approach that integrates instruction into assessment, and adopted an interactionist approach to DA to conduct a semester-long mediation program in a writing course, which aimed at improving the writing ability of 15 (8 males and seven females) intermediate proficiency level sophomore students of English Language and Literature, in a State University in Iran. The students’ performances on non-dynamic writing pre- and post-tests and nine in-class dynamic writing tasks, completed during the DA sessions, were compared using independent samples t-test and mixed between-within subjects analysis variance (ANOVA), respectively. More specifically, the participants were divided into the two groups of more-skilled and less-skilled student writers, and then their performance was compared. The results indicated that the mediation offered had been highly effective in improving the writing competence of both groups of more- and less-skilled writers. They have been equally able to benefit from the mediation received and resolve their problems in writing. In addition, the dominant patterns of tutor mediational and learner reciprocity moves from a recorded DA intervention session were identified to see how they can lead to the learners’ writing development.