The Impacts of Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment on ElicitingStudents’ Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies

Cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) as a process-based approachhas recently gained new momentum in L2 research on L2 readingassessment mainly due to its advantages over the previouspsychometric techniques. The present research intended to uncoverthe mental processes of L2 learners when taking readingcomprehension tests. Following a placement test, a group of 40 highschool students from Babolsar, Iran aged 16-17 were recruited to formtwo groups of control, and experimental. Through a time-series design,the CDA procedure was conducted to help L2 readers to enhance theirreading comprehension skills and strategies by providing properdiagnostic feedback and intervention. The data were collected throughtriangulation methodology comprised of interview, think-aloud, andself-assessment. The statistical data analysis confirmed the usefulnessof consistent cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) for the students.Moreover, the analysis led to the development of a typology of onlinereading comprehension strategies which are normally discarded innon-interactive assessments. Finally, on implication side the studysuggests the use of consistent CDA as a robust, valid and trustworthyprocedure to diagnose and enhance L2 learners’ readingcomprehension processes

The Impacts of Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment on ElicitingStudents’ Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies Keywords:

Cognitive diagnostic assessment , Paradigm shift in assessment , Washback