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A s h l e i g h T h o m p s o n , P h . D .

A n g e l i t a A l v a r a d o - S a n t o s , P h . D .

J e n n i f e r C a s e

O ff i c e o f A c a d e m i c A ff a i r s

T h e C i t y U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Yo r k

N Y S A T E / N YA C T E F a l l C o n f e r e n c e

S a r a t o g a S p r i n g s , N Y

O c t o b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 4

Widening our reach: Using multiple approaches to

enhance teacher candidate literacy skills

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Agenda

Academic Literacy Skills Test Overview

CUNY Context

Goals of our work

Approaches to support literacy skill development

Outcomes

Challenges

Actionable strategies

Please take a moment to write down two questions you hope to have answered during this session

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Academic Literacy Skills Test

Certification exam that students are finding the most challenging

Reading section: 40% of total score, assessed through multiple choice items

Writing section: 60% of total score, assessed through written-response items

Teacher candidates reported common challenges: pacing and planning their time, stamina and perseverance with complex passages, difficulty analyzing prompts, and navigating the computer-based testing platform

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CUNY Context

CUNY is the largest

public, urban University

in U.S.

24 campuses across NYC

540,000+ students

44% of undergrads are

first-generation

Americans

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CUNY Context: ALST Test Takers

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CUNY’s Faculty Development Project

This work has been part of CUNY’s Race to the Top Faculty Development Project, funded through a MOU with the New York State Education Department which began in July 2012.

CUNY’s Office of Teacher Education provides support and technical assistance in areas such as data-driven instruction, teacher certification exams, teacher and principal performance evaluations, and Common Core State Standards.

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CUNY Central Goals

Overarching Goal: Improve teacher candidate literacy skills to help them become successful in their coursework and on the certification exams

1) Integrate literacy skill development into current teacher education curricula

2) Improve ability of faculty to teach CCSS/literacy skills

3) Increase and strengthen test (ALST) preparation resources for students

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Approaches to enhance candidate literacy skills

Three major efforts directed at –

1) Teacher education programs and faculty

2) Offices/departments and faculty outside

teacher education

3) Teacher education students

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1) Approaches: Teacher education programs and faculty

ALST faculty development workshops

Conferences/colloquium/workshops around

CCSS

Curriculum mapping and review

Revisions to curricular documents, including

course syllabi and assignments

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2) Approaches: Offices/departments and faculty outside teacher education

Partnership with Arts and Sciences faculty

Partnership with University initiatives like Writing

Across the Curriculum and Centers for Teaching and

Learning

Conferences/colloquium/workshops around CCSS

ALST turnkey workshops and kits

Identification and training of writing tutors

Engaging Continuing Education as a resource

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3) Approaches: Student support

Direct communication to students

“One stop” resource library- CUNY Teacher

Education website

Blackboard group to house additional prep

resources

Student webinars and YouTube video series

ALST student workshops with practice tests

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Student Support Outputs

University wide email system: 11,873

students contacted

First system email: Viewed by 1,710 students

ALST YouTube video: 860 views

CUNY Blackboard groups: 437 users

Student workshops: 167 students attended

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Outcomes

Faculty Learning and Teaching

Increased knowledge and understanding of ALST and CCSS

Improved ability and creativity to

• Embed literacy skills in their courses

• Create assignments that foster literacy skills

Implemented changes to course content and instruction

Increased awareness of barriers and supports needed

Program as a whole: Built partnerships with P-12 educators,

Arts and Sciences faculty, and community colleges

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Challenges

Addressing sector needs with limited staff

Bringing faculty on board: philosophy and time

commitments

Preparing students who do not have a Common

Core background for the nuances and complexity of

this exam

Making information widely accessible

Being clear and addressing misinformation

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What Worked: Recommendations and actionable strategies

Find key, high impact partners who can help increase

capacity beyond the education program

Provide continuous, consistent information to all

stakeholders

Create sustainable resources

Provide opportunities for all faculty who prepare

teachers to talk to each other and collaborate

Communicate and share efforts across programs to

avoid duplication

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Table Talk

What strategies/information from today’

session is useful to your work?

What additional strategies would you

recommend to the group?

What questions do you still need answered?

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Fo l l o w u s o n Tw i t t e r ! @ C U N Y Te a c h e r E d

A s h l e i g h T h o m p s o n - A s h l e i g h . T h o m p s o n @ c u n y. e d u

A n g e l i t a A l v a r a d o - S a n t o s – A n g e l i t a . A l v a r a d o - S a n t o s @ c u n y. e d u

J e n n i f e r C a s e – J e n n i f e r. C a s e @ c u n y. e d u

Thank You