ENGL 9 - Reading and Study Skills II - Stage 5 - Jen Levinson and Jeff Goldthorpe
Assessment
| Assessment Methods |
|
|---|---|
| Assessment Description | The assessment we gave is a Department-created test that was given at the end of the semester as a final exam in all sections of English 9 (a stand-alone reading course) as well as English 91 (a combined reading/composition course). The test consisted of 10 multiple-choice questions based on a simple expository essay. Question types included identifying main idea and details, making inferences, and defining vocabulary in context. |
| Learning Outcomes | A1. Demonstrate the ability to independently comprehend simple expository essay, article, or textbook selection. A2. Recognize the structural elements of academic writing including main ideas and details as well as generalizations and specific support. |
| Number of Sections | 3 |
| Number of Instructors | 2 |
| Number of Students | 38 |
Data Analysis
| Data Shared With | Instructors of the same course (at CCSF) |
|---|---|
| Data Sharing Methods |
|
| Data Summary | For the purposes of assessing the course, we are currently focusing on SLOs A1 and A2 (see above). We are assessing students’ ability to independently comprehend a simple expository essay (SLO A1) by looking at their overall score on the test. • Total questions answered correctly (out of 10 questions) - 7 or higher: 63% 6 or higher: 81% Defining vocabulary in context is an important component skill that contributes to a reader’s ability to independently comprehend a text (SLO A1). • Percentage of English 9 students taking the assessment who accurately defined the meaning of a vocabulary word in context: 79% and 84% (as measured by Questions 6 and 7, respectively) We believe that in order to independently comprehend expository texts (SLO A1), students must also be able to recognize their structural elements (SLO A2) and utilize this knowledge of text structure to help them identify the writer’s argument (i.e., thesis and main ideas). After taking this reading course, students should be able to accurately identify the thesis (overall message) and main ideas within an article. • On this assessment, 73% of English 9 students correctly identified the thesis (as measured by Question 1), compared with 65% of English 91 students, according to the data collected by the English 91 coordinators. • Percentage of English 9 students taking the assessment who accurately identified the main idea of a paragraph: 63% and 76% (as measured by Questions 3 and 4, respectively) |
| Analysis Summary | We consider a total score of 70% (7/10 correct) to indicate that a student has adequately comprehended the reading (SLO A1). The data indicates that a substantial number of students taking the assessment nearly met this standard, with 81% of students answering 6 or more questions correctly. We consider this result to be fairly successful, with some room for improvement. It is possible that the dropoff from 81% (students answering 6 or more questions correctly) to 63% (students answering 7 or more questions correctly) may be attributed to the test itself. Specifically, questions 8,9,&10 – which asked students to determine whether a given inference was reasonable or unreasonable – met with markedly lower success as compared with the rest of the questions. In particular, for question 9, only 32% of students gave the answer we considered correct. We observed a similar trend in the English 91 data, which prompted a faculty committee to revise these three items for use in future assessments. Rather than asking if a given inference is reasonable or unreasonable, the revised questions offer students four possible answer choices and ask which is the MOST reasonable inference based on information in the text. |
| Next Steps Planned | The process of closing the loop in English 9 is complicated by the fact that after ten years of course reform and associated research, this course no longer has a clear place within the English sequence. Initially, English 90 (Basic Composition) and English 9 (Intermediate Reading and Study Skills) were offered as separate courses, with English 9 being a suggested elective for students to take in conjunction with the required English 90. In 2003 English 9 was re-invented as a required class linked to English 90. For a few years, both linked and unlinked English 9 classes and English 90 classes were studied and compared by CCSF researchers. In 2004 faculty teaching linked classes wrote an entry/ exit map for English 9, and by 2009, the English 9 Course Outline was rewritten to implement changes suggested by this on-going assessment. In 2007, these same faculty wrote and instituted a Common Exit Exam to assess learning outcomes related to reading in both the linked classes and the old unlinked English 9 classes. This included group grading sessions, in which both standards and instruments were assessed. With the creation in 2008 of English 91, the single 6-unit integrated reading/writing course, fewer and fewer stand-alone sections of English 90 and 9 were offered until 2012, when the Department eliminated English 90 altogether. However, each semester we continue to offer a couple of sections of English 9, the function of which has become ambiguous. It is unclear what population of students the class now serves. Based on our observations, the students themselves are confused, sometimes mistaking English 9 for the required 91. Nonetheless, based on our informal conversations and observations, it seems that some students have elected to take the class as a “ramp up” to English 91 (particularly students with disabilities), and that ESL students may enroll in the class to improve their vocabularies and strengthen their reading skills. Clearly, a discussion regarding English 9 should occur in the wider Department and in response to not only the assessment data but also the changing Departmental context. The assessment data suggests that English 9 does offer something important for student success at this level, and that we should continue to ensure that reading instruction and the practices used in English 9 are integrated into the English 91 curriculum as effectively as possible. Last spring, in response to the assessment data, conversations about best practices for teaching main idea occurred at the English 91 level meetings. |
| Learning Outcomes | ALL |
Tentative Future Plans
| Term | Fall 2013 |
|---|---|
| Activities |
|
| More Details | We plan to repeat the current assessment in Fall 2013 with the revised inference questions (8,9&10) to see whether the proportion of students meeting the 70% bar increases simply as a result of the test revision. Instructors who teach English 9 will continue to participate in the English 91 level conversations to ensure that reading instruction and the practices used in English 9 are integrated into the English 91 curriculum as effectively as possible. As the Department creates its “Roadmap,” we will ensure that English 9 and its role within our curriculum is part of that larger conversation. |
SLO Details Storage Location
- HARD COPY - In my personal filing system (my office)
- ELECTRONIC COPY - In my electronic filing system (hard drive or web server)