The Evolution of Dynamic Assessment in Second Language Acquisition: A Meta-Synthesis

This study is a qualitative meta-synthesis aimed at deepening understanding of the Dynamic Assessment process and practice in the Second Language Acquisition domain. It reveals topics on the practice of DA and its corresponding philosophical worldview. Using an integrative synthesis approach, this study has tripartite purposes: to distill educational findings on the effectiveness of DA, to develop a comprehensive understanding of DA implementation rules for practical implications for instructors, and to put forward the prospect of Dynamic Assessment development. Overall conclusions were drawn from a systematic review of 38 peer-reviewed primary studies. The synthesis of findings was derived from methodologically distinct but related individual studies into a whole greater than its parts. The analytical process involved three iterative phases: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, guiding the examination, integration, and interpretation of core findings. The results synthesized six key themes that outline the role of DA in developing learner capabilities and explain how formative assessment, DA, and scaffolding differ. These themes are: Integrating diagnosis and development (not like three peas in a pod), Conditional presumptions, development through dynamic assessment, Computerized dynamic assessment, and DA and peer-to-peer mediation. The themes offer new perspectives on the nature of DA, praising it as a tool for assessment with the potential to improve educational equity. The conclusion underscores a persistent incompatibility between DA research and classroom practice. Future research should prioritize mixed-methods investigations, develop standardized protocols, and design scalable teacher-training frameworks to turn DA's theoretical promise into actionable pedagogy.