L2 Reading Assessment from a Sociocultural Theory Perspective: The Contributions of Dynamic Assessment

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Despite offering a theoretical argument for the use of DA in L2 reading assessments, the article's statements are not supported up by any empirical data. Concrete examples or case studies illustrating how DA can effectively detect learners' specific needs and inform methods of instruction would be beneficial for the discussion.

The article often simplifies DA and suggest that it is the answer to all of the problems with L2 reading assessments, without really looking at its limits or any negative effects. A more nuanced viewpoint would be offered by a more balanced argument that acknowledged the difficulties and potential drawbacks of DA.

Although the paper provides insightful information on the potential of DA in L2 reading assessment, it might benefit from a more balanced analysis that incorporates factual data, assesses technological developments with cautiously, and tackles actual implementation issues.

technical comments:

line 25 who are „reading scholars“?; line 39 the growth of “ reading research“?

not cited source line 79, 90 – „Author“

acronym used differently DAL  line 117

line 137 – principle, not  a law

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

line 25 who are „reading scholars“?; line 39 the growth of “ reading research“?

not cited source line 79, 90 – „Author“

acronym used differently DAL  line 117

line 137 – principle, not  a law

 

Author Response

 

Authors would like to express appreciation to both reviewers for their insightful comments on our manuscript. In what follows, we have addressed the comments by Reviewer #1 one by one. Reviewer #2 did not identify any revisions necessary for the manuscript.

Comment #	Reviewer Comment	Authors’ answer
1	Despite offering a theoretical argument for the use of DA in L2 reading assessments, the article's statements are not supported up by any empirical data. Concrete examples or case studies illustrating how DA can effectively detect learners' specific needs and inform methods of instruction would be beneficial for the discussion.	There are few studies that have applied DA to L2 reading, the most pertinent of which are discussed in the manuscript. Through our review of these studies, we have already demonstrated the effectiveness of DA in diagnosing L2 reading difficulties and helping language learners enhance their reading abilities.
2	The article often simplifies DA and suggest that it is the answer to all of the problems with L2 reading assessments, without really looking at its limits or any negative effects. A more nuanced viewpoint would be offered by a more balanced argument that acknowledged the difficulties and potential drawbacks of DA.	We are grateful to the reviewer for this valuable comment. In response, we have implemented significant revisions in the final section of the manuscript to emphasize that while DA can be beneficial, it is not a universal solution for all reading difficulties.
3	Although the paper provides insightful information on the potential of DA in L2 reading assessment, it might benefit from a more balanced analysis that incorporates factual data, assesses technological developments with cautiously, and tackles actual implementation issues.	We have incorporated pertinent revisions to address this feedback. Specifically, we have included mention that recent technological advancements have limitations, although their potentials should not be dismissed.
4	Language	All language related revisions have been taken care of.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a very interesting literature review on a topic of interest in educational sciences. The article is very well written, only the acronym DA should be defined in summary. For the rest, the article can be accepted as is after having put it in the format requested by the journal.

Author Response

We appreciate the reviewer for their positive feedback.