Dr. Jeanine L. WilliamsThe Community College of Baltimore County

Shifting the Paradigm:An Academic Literacy Model for

Reading Acceleration

Overview of Presentation

Why and how we moved toward an academic literacy model

What this model entails

How we implement this model

How we are able to sustain this model

How things are going so far

What our plans are for moving forward

How to start a similar initiative at your institution

How Did We Get Here?

Developmental Reading and English at CCBC

Reading 051 –5 hours (36-60)

Reading 052—4 hours (61-78)

English 051—4 hours (up to 57)

English 052—3 hours (58-89)

Reading 052/English 101 Learning Community—8 hours

English 052/101 Accelerated Course—6 hours

Why Rethink Developmental Reading?

Successful accelerated courses in developmental English and math

Persistence issues—compounded by multi-level sequence

Problems with placement testing

Affective issues and changing student population

Lack of skill transfer from developmental reading to credit courses

Changes in federal aid guidelines

The Completion Agenda

College Readiness and Completion Act of 2013

Common Core State Standards

What is ACLT 052?

5-hour integrated Reading and English course focused on critical thinking

Students with the following placements are eligible to enroll in ACLT 052:

ENGL 051 and RDNG 051 ENGL 051 and RDNG 052ENGL 052 and RDNG 051 ENGL 052 and RDNG 052

Successful students move directly into credit courses with developmental reading and English pre-requisites

85% of enrolled ACLT 052 students placed in our lowest level of developmental reading!

Benefits of ACLT 052

Authentic college-level experience

Multiple low-risk opportunities for students to discuss, think, and write

Increases students' familiarity with academic culture by attending to the affective domain

Eliminates exit points and shortens pipeline for students

Lowers cost of developmental coursework for students

Capitalizes on the heterogeneous class environment and eliminates the mental classifications of 051 and 052

Logistical Challenges

Separate Reading and English Departments

Support from Administration

Faculty Commitment and Paradigm Shift

Time for Development

Preserving Academic Freedom

QUESTIONS?

What Are We Doing?

Guiding Principles: Curriculum

Not based on the outcomes for the existing courses

College-level tasks with an emphasis on English 101 and other 100-level credit courses

Students “practice college” instead of working on pre-college skills

Whole, complex reading instead of paragraphs

Address affective issues through course assignments and activities

Not a literature course

 

Guiding Principles: Pedagogy

 Turn our assumptions on their head or “before they can do this, they have to do this.” Start with the real academic tasks right away—not baby steps

Use a thematic approach

Use active learning techniques

Use triage to deal with student areas that need support rather than lowering the entire curriculum to sub-skills—“just in time remediation”

Have a “growth mindset” towards students and their progress

Help grow student sense of responsibility

Guiding Principles: Assessment

Holistic approach to assessing student work—look at content as well as grammar

Progressive approach to grading: tolerance for less than perfect work early in the semester

Provide a lot of “low-risk” opportunities to talk, think, and write before graded, higher-stakes assignments

Embrace the 3 goals : Independently read and understand complex academic texts Critically respond to the ideas and information in those texts Write essays integrating ideas and information from those

texts

Embedded Course Topics

Academic literacy and academic discourse

The reading-writing process

Critical reading, writing, and thinking

Reader response

Using source materials

Writing and evaluating arguments

Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage

Audience awareness

Essay organization and development

Grading

Successful completion requires 70% average

 research-based project synthesizing 3+ sources

in-class writing assignments

individual presentations

technology-based assignment

four (4) essays that use a variety of rhetorical modes to make a convincing argument

common end-of-semester portfolio assessment worth 30% of the final grade

QUESTIONS?

How Do We Do It?

Unit Format

Themes and Texts

Reading/Writing Skills Mini-Lessons

Pre-reading/Pre-writing Activities

Independent Reading w/ Guide Questions

In-class, Post-reading Activities

Unit Exam (In-class Writing Assignment)

Essay

Love, Hate, and Hooking-Up: Relationships Redefined

Essential Questions:

What is love and how can we find it?Are marriage and monogamy still relevant?How has technology changed relationships? 

Reading/Writing Skills:Argument Using Sources

  Texts:

“Against Love” (Laura Kipnis) “Baba and Daddy Gus” (bell hooks) “Hooking Up: What Educators Need To Know” (Kathleen Bogle) “Mobile Romance: An Exploration of the Development of Romantic

Relationships Through Texting” (Randy Solis)

Discussion Group Questions

According to Bogle, why is it important to understand hookup culture on college campuses?

   How does Bogle define “hooking up”?   Describe the differences in the role of alcohol in the dating era

compared to the hookup era.    Bogle argues that “the hookup system drives student alcohol

consumption rather than the other way around” (p. 249-250). What reasons does she give to support this claim?

    How has the shift from dating to hooking up changed the nature of

the sexual assault problem? What is the ultimate result of this change?

   According to Bogle, how should college administrators respond to

the culture of hooking up? What can college administrators do to address the impact of hooking up culture on alcohol abuse and sexual assaults?

Unit Exam Prompt

Prompt #1: In “Against Love”, Kipnis presents an argument about the myths and realities of modern love. In a multi-paragraph response, complete the following: Summarize Kipnis’ argument about modern love. Take a position for or against her argument. Explain

your position. Discuss at least two reasons to support your position. Use evidence from at least two reading selections

other than “Against Love” to support your argument.

Unit Exam Prompt

Prompt #2: In “Hooking Up: What Educators Need to Know” and “Mobile Romance” Bogle and Solis discuss the changes in the formation of romantic relationships. In a multi-paragraph response, complete the following: Summarize Bogle’s argument about how romantic relationships

are formed. Summarize Solis’ findings on romantic relationships and texting. Discuss at least two benefits of hooking up and mobile romances. Discuss at least two drawbacks of hooking up and mobile

romances. Use evidence from the reading selections to support your

answers.

Unit Essay Instructions

In this essay you will consider the course readings on relationships and then take a stance on one of the “essential questions” for the unit. You will write an argument that synthesizes the assigned readings and your outside research in support of your stance.

In your essay, be sure to include the following:  Your answer/stance summarized in your thesis statement

in your introduction.  Support for your argument with relevant ideas,

information, and quotes from at least two (2) of the assigned class readings.

 Support for your argument with relevant ideas, information, and quotes from at least two (2) of the readings from the list of “outside research sources”.

 The opposing viewpoint with evidence along with a discussion of whether this viewpoint has merit and why this evidence does not cause you to abandon your own stance.

Typical Class

Quiz on homework

Small group comprehension-based activity

Quick-write on theme-related critical thinking question

Mini lesson on a timely reading/writing skill

Exam preparation— “Speed Dating”

Essay planning and drafting

Peer editing

Instructor-student conferencing

Everyday is different—“No Autopilot”

QUESTIONS?

How Is This Possible?

Professional Development

Monthly Faculty Inquiry Group (FIG)

Cross-training

Shadowing

Collaboration

Information Sessions

Summer Training Institute

Student Development

Advising, Advising, Advising!

Utilize the Writing Center

Specialized Tutors

Intrusive Teaching Techniques

Financial Literacy

Counseling and other Student Services

85% of ACLT 052 students placed in our lowest level of developmental reading!

QUESTIONS?

How Is It Working?

ACLT 052 Final Grades

Fall 2012

177 students

S 57%U 25%I 1%FX 14%W 3%

Fall 2013

331 students

A 14%B 18%C 26%F 26%FX 10%I 1%W 5%

Fall 2012 to Spring 2013 Retention Rates

Total Cohort 72%

Passing Students 83%

African Americans 72%

ENGL 101 and Credit Course Progress for Fall 2012 Cohort

101 (57%) students passed ACLT 052 in Fall 12

69 (68%) students who passed ACLT 052 during Fall 12 enrolled in ENGL 101 in Spring 13

47 (68%) of the 69 enrolled students passed ENGL 101 in Spring 13

59 (58%) students who passed ACLT 052 in Fall 12 passed 1 or more credit courses other than ENGL 101 in Spring 13

Snapshot of Student Feedback

All of the students reported that they would recommend ACLT 052 to other students.

All of the students felt that the 5-hour, integrated course was more effective than taking stand-alone courses.

All of the students felt that while the course work was very challenging, it was useful in preparing them for 100-level courses.

Most students enjoyed the readings, activities, and assignments.

Most students expressed that as a result of this course, they feel prepared for credit coursework.

Some students did not feel ready to move on to credit coursework, but they feel like this course put them on the right track.

QUESTIONS?

What Is Next?

Ongoing Development and Assessment

Continue faculty training and professional development

Work with Institutional Research for a more comprehensive evaluation of the pilots

Follow students longitudinally—are they passing the 100-level courses?

Tweak and refine the course to better address student issues

Challenges and Strategies

College-wide buy-in (faculty, advising, students)

Faculty training

Quality control—sticking to the model

Protecting vulnerable students

Being patient with implementation

Scaling-up the initiative

How to Get Started

QUESTIONS?

Contact Information

Jeanine L. Williams, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Reading

Coordinator of Reading Acceleration Initiativesjwilliams4@ccbcmd.edu

443-840-3031