Learning L2 Non-Congruent Collocations across Cumulative vs. Concurrent Group Dynamic Assessment Instructional Conditions

Collocations play a crucial role in the efficiency of speaking in a second or foreign language. However, learning non-congruent collocations has always presented itself as a difficulty to foreign language learners. Against this background, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of two types of dynamic assessment – cumulative dynamic assessment and concurrent group dynamic assessment – on learning non-congruent English collocations by L1-Persian learners of L2 English. The participants were given the Preliminary English Test (PET) based on the results of which 73 homogeneous learners were selected who were then assigned to two experimental conditions. Prior to the experiments, the participants in both groups were given a non-congruent collocations test designed by the researchers. Afterwards, learners in one of the groups received cumulative group dynamic assessment for the targeted collocations while participants in the second group received concurrent group dynamic assessment. At the end of the treatment, both groups were given a collocations post-test. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that both cumulative and concurrent group dynamic assessment were effective in learning non-congruent collocations. However, there was not any statistically significant difference between the effects of the two types of assessment on learning non-congruent collocations by the EFL learners.