Capturing L2 Learners’ Microgenetic ZPD Modification atthe Level of Transcendence during Reading ComprehensionTasks

Dynamic assessment (DA) has been recently emerged into the field ofsecond language teaching and learning (SLT/L) from Vygotsky’s(1978) sociocultural theory (SCT) which emphasized on the cognitivemodification of children through mediations in the zone of proximaldevelopment (ZPD). Mediation, as a hallmark of SCT, provides aninstructional opportunity for learners to perform beyond their currentlevel of functioning, even on a small scale over a single session whichis known as microgenesis (Wertsch, 1985). Transcendence (TR) isanother crucial feature of DA which has been proposed to trace thelearners’ true developed ability into heterogeneous contexts (Feuerstein,Rand, & Hoffman, 1979). The present paper aimed at capturing L2learners’ microgenetic development at the reading comprehension TRlevels with the use of mediated functioning and processing time (Shabani and Bakhoda, 2014) as a ZPD measurement tool insynchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) context.Also, this study employed Poehner’s (2009) interactionist format ofDA, Feuerstein et al.'s (1976) Mediated Learning Experience (MLE)concept, and Sternberg and Grigorenko’s (2002) cake format to presentmediations and track 5 intermediate L2 learners’ level of readingcomprehension reconceptualization and developmental trajectories inthree different and innovative reading tasks via dialogic online videochat interaction. The results indicate that by increasing the innovationof reading tasks learners required more explicit mediations (onlinepictures, online dictionaries, and text manipulations) to comprehend thepassage and continue their development through their ZPD, though theyreapply their developing ability emerged in mediation sessions to tacklethe correct answer in TR tasks, which confirms Vygtosky’s (1998)argument about transcendence of true development in new context. Thelearners’ processing time decreased in more homogenized context(TR1) to mediation sessions which is related to the acceleration ofinformation processing in the learners’ mind

Keywords:

transcendence (TR) , zone of proximal development (ZPD) , synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC)