pragmatic-competence
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- PaperLanguage Testing26 Jun 2026
Developing and Validating a Computerized Dynamic Diagnostic Assessment of Pragmatic Competence for Chinese Learners of English
Qi Lu, Ying Chen, Lianrui Yang
A computerized dynamic diagnostic assessment (CDDA-P) was developed and validated for assessing pragmatic competence in Chinese learners of English, using refusals as an example. The assessment empirically derived response options from a learner corpus and provided fine-grained diagnosis of strengths/weaknesses, identified zones of proximal development, and promoted significant improvement in learner performance.
Original abstract
Recent initiatives have sought to integrate dynamic assessment and diagnostic assessment to facilitate language learning. Extending this line of innovation, the present study uses the example of refusals to illustrate the development and validation of a computerized dynamic diagnostic assessment of pragmatic competence (CDDA-P). To enhance the authenticity of assessed pragmatic performance, a bottom-up approach was adopted in item design, in which response options were empirically derived from a corpus of productions by 335 language users. The effectiveness of the CDDA-P was examined from three key perspectives: its ability to diagnose learners’ strengths and weaknesses, to identify their zones of proximal development (ZPDs) and learning potential, and to promote the development of learners’ pragmatic performance. A pretest–immediate posttest-delayed posttest design was employed to track changes in 66 Chinese learners’ performance before and after the implementation of the CDDA-P. Findings reveal that the CDDA-P can provide a fine-grained diagnosis of learners’ strengths and weaknesses in performing L2 refusals and identify their diverse ZPDs and learning potential. Furthermore, learners demonstrated significant improvement after mediation. This study presents both theoretical and methodological implications for the development of integrated dynamic and diagnostic language assessment, while also offering insights into promoting L2 pragmatic competence through assessment.