Reconceptualizing language teaching: an in-service teacher education course in uzbekistan

Using Collected Data. A relatively new concept for the Uzbek EFL 
context is teaching and learning based on the data collected about stu-
dents. It is called data-driven learning. Data-driven learning allows teachers 
to address students’ immediate needs and remediate the issues they have. 
We frequently just rely on our assumptions in our choices of input. But can 
we really be sure what our students need without collecting the required 
information about their current state of knowledge. 
Gathered data can inform language teachers about:
• the current state of students’ knowledge and skills
• aspects that need to be given more attention to during class and/
or after
• aspects that can be given less attention during class
• additional input that is required to remediate the identified lack of 
knowledge or skill
• sequence of the teaching input (i.e., you might want to change the 
teaching process)
• corrections to lesson plans
• changes should be made to the curriculum, syllabus and teaching 
materials (e.g., this information can be discussed with the members 
of your department.)
Reliable data about students are not the results of one test only; teach-
ers are to collect their data continuously to check whether they are right 
about certain conclusions they have drawn. This approach in English as a 
Foreign Language pedagogy relies on the use of collection of computer 
readable texts which is called corpus. For example, many students’ essays 
can be gathered to learn about the most common issues in learners’ writ-
ing. This information can then be a foundation for you to create teaching 
materials, modify your teaching approaches, and make plans in the teach-
ing content and focus. 
Dynamic Assessment. One of popular forms of Assessment for Learn-
ing is Dynamic Assessment. It is quite new for the Uzbek context but very 
widespread around the world. The most useful feature of dynamic assess-

---

108
RECONCEPTUALIZING LANGUAGE TEACHING
ment allows a teacher to observe changes happening during the process 
of assessment because of his/her influence on student performance. Dy-
namic Assessment relies on interaction between an assessor and a student 
and is based on principles from Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. According 
to theory, students can perform at a certain level at a test; however, given 
support they can reach their highest potential within the zone of proximal 
development (ZPD) – “the distance between the actual development level 
as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential 
development as determined through problem solving under adult guid-
ance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). 
This quotation from Vygotsky emphasizes how an expert or someone more 
capable is needed to help someone learn. This happens as a result of inter-
action between a teacher and a student. Dynamic assessment is different 
from psychometric tests (i.e., tests that produce a numerical score at the 
end) for example, a multiple-choice test, which allows observing students’ 
performance in one instance only. In contrast, by the help of dynamic as-
sessment, we cannot see whether this student can perform better if more 
support is provided or conditions are changed. Dynamic assessment in 
this regard is more flexible while psychometric is static. As the interaction 
continuous, the assessor can see some features and skills, which were not 
initially demonstrated, emerging. 
As a teacher, you can use dynamic assessment to scaffold your students 
in the process of learning. For example, you can give them a speaking task 
and as each student responds, you try to notice what a student already 
knows and where he or she has difficulties. However, you do not stop at 
the point of identifying an issue you keep the conversation going to see 
how much further you can take the student by clarifying what he or she 
has said and extending the opportunities to arrive at better performance 
than initially. It is always useful to know how far your students can go. This 
can influence planning further lessons and teaching materials, as you have 
already learnt about their potential.