This article describes the approach of dynamic assessment, focusing on general approaches as well as specific constraints for the assessment of reading competence. Starting with an overview of the literature on dynamic assessments within educational research, the framework of dynamic assessment in which the current level of competence and (domain-specific) learning ability are assessed, is discussed with regards to its methodological and diagnostic implications. Reading competence is introduced as a domain in which interventions prove successful, and as a domain principally suitable for the assessment of learning ability. Furthermore, it is discussed whether elaborated feedback given within the procedure of reading competence assessment does uncover a learning ability which is specific to the domain of reading competence or not. (Contains 1 figure.)