Research area
Dynamic assessment research in second language learning
Focus
Dynamic assessment, grounded in Vygotskian sociocultural theory, integrates instruction and assessment by offering learners graduated mediation and treating their responsiveness to that support as evidence of abilities still in development. Yuwei Xia's research extends this approach to AI-assisted L2 writing, to vocabulary knowledge, and to the preparation of teachers who mediate learning.
Her doctoral research at Penn State is advised by Dr. Xiaofei Lu and Dr. Matthew Poehner.
AI-assisted dynamic assessment of L2 writing
This strand asks how mediation changes when part of it is carried by an AI system. The work reconceptualizes mediation as distributed across teacher-designed prompts, AI-generated feedback, and teacher mediation, and applies that view in the design of WriteMed.
- Xu, Q., Lu, X., Xia, Y., & Zeng, Z. (2026). Distributed mediation in AI-assisted dynamic assessment: Learner-AI interaction and revision across EFL writing continuation tasks. Language Learning & Technology, 30(1). Corresponding author; conceived the study and its framework.
- Xia, Y. (2025). Effects of AI-assisted dynamic assessment on lexical richness and learner engagement in EFL writing. Paper presented at the AAAL Conference, Vail.
- WriteMed, an AI mediator for dynamic assessment of L2 academic writing, in which graduated hints guide revision and the learner remains the author.
Dynamic assessment of vocabulary knowledge
- Xia, Y., Luo, Y., & Lu, X. (2024). Dynamic assessment of vocabulary: A systematic literature review. Language Teaching Research Quarterly, 46, 297–324. https://doi.org/10.32038/ltrq.2024.46.19
- Xia, Y. (2025). Dynamic assessment of vocabulary: A systematic literature review. Paper presented at the AAAL Conference, Vail.
- Xia, Y. (2025). Dynamic assessment and concept-based instruction of vocabulary knowledge. Poster presented at the AAAL Conference.
- Xia, Y. (2024). Dynamic assessment of Chinese English language learners' vocabulary knowledge. Poster presented at the AAAL Conference, Houston.
- Xia, Y., & Kim, M. (2024). Mediating the use of digital reference tools for the development of vocabulary knowledge. Paper presented at the CALICO Conference, Pittsburgh.
Mediation in ESL teacher education
Mediate is a practice environment in which ESL teachers hold conferences with simulated English learners and rehearse a core skill of dynamic assessment: judging how much help a learner needs. Its graduated scale of five teaching moves, from waiting and open questions to examples and explicit telling, is modeled on Aljaafreh and Lantolf's regulatory scale and Poehner's typology of mediation. A coach report then describes what each turn did for the learner. See mediate.training.
Related
A systematic review of AI in second language writing education (2025) · Word360, a concept-based approach to vocabulary learning