also lack TESOL training, they are not inclined to help their less proficient students improve their academic literacy (Lipp & Jones, 2011).
In addition to international students, another group of students who are at risk of academic unpreparedness is that of US-educated second-language learners. Rumbaut and Ima first drew attention to these learners in 1988, coining the term Generation 1.5 to refer to them, describing these students as having English as a second language and who completed their compulsory schooling here; this description was initially borrowed from immigration research (di Gennaro, 2013). For academic purposes, this definition can also extend to native-born students of non-native English-speaking immigrant parents who either
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As such, even when faced with an NNES student population in their classrooms, they may feel less inclined to participate in workshops or training regarding NNES student success due to this perception (Salem & Jones, 2010). Additionally, faculty who are untrained in NNES student instruction may lower their academic expectations for NNES students, or they may even dedicate less time explaining course or writing expectations and giving feedback with those students who appear less capable to them (i.e., NNES students whose communication skills faculty believe to be sub-par) (Zamel, 2004). This is not a recent concern, as evidenced by Gambell’s qualitative study in March 1984 of 33 full-time faculty members at the University of Saskatchewan, which posed to determine a relationship, if any, between the faculty’s perception of international student writing deficiencies and the way that they constructed their courses. Gambell (1984) found that faculty in the study suggested that faculty-approved department-wide guidelines be distributed, as well as exemplary student writing models, in order to create a standard regarding the acceptable way to guide and assess student writing. Items such as formatting and organization as well as summarizing and concluding were a concern, as …show more content…
Rubin and Williams-James’ (1997) study found a disparity of untrained faculty grading NES and NNES writers. They determined that NNES writer ratings "were best predicted by the number of surface errors they detected" (Rubin & Williams-James, 1997, p. 139). Conversely, the assessment of similar NES student writing included comments and notations in the margins of the paper, something that was not evident in NNES student feedback (Rubin & Williams-James, 1997). This leads to a host of issues in the English-medium classroom, such as poor NNES student engagement, lack of improvement and growth of NNES student writing (or even possibly causing their writing to suffer), and expectations not being set by the untrained faculty.
Finally, while Rust, O’Donovan, and Price (2005) found that student assessment was perhaps the single largest influence in students’ approaches to learning, James (2003) cited that student assessment was “one of the least sophisticated aspects of university teaching and learning” (para. 197). Faculty’s perceived non-native authorship in student writing has been associated with a faculty leniency of judgement in assessment (Haswell, 1998; Janopoulos, 1992; Jenkins, Jordan, & Weiland,
According to Runciman, there are many plausible reasons that students and other people don’t enjoy writing. Evidence, assumptions, and language and tone are the basis for which Runciman makes his argument. Overall, this argument is effective because reliable and well known sources are used in a logical fashion. Also, the assumptions made about the audience are accurate and believable. Runciman used his assumptions wisely when writing his claim and in turn created a compelling, attention capturing argument. The article was written so that students and teachers at any level could understand and easily read it. This argument is interesting, captivating, relevant through its age, and can relate to students and teachers at almost every academic level.
However, their critical analysis of FYW and strong points for other teaching methods, one’s takeaway from the article is the question, “why even teach FYW”? It’s evident that content and context are the key points in academic writing, so why then do we even make the FYW a mandatory class? A student doesn’t need a semester to understand what content is, for some they already understand what it is, and for those who don’t they should still be able to learn it, in a week. The misconception of writing being universal is very true, but for a student to improve on one’s writing, the easiest solution is to have him or she participate in that discipline. In a realistic world, the more probable solution to most of the problems Down and Wardle bring up is eliminate the course and replace it with a class that allows a student to see and understand the writing in their field without the repercussion of grades. Thus students get more experience within their field and get to learn firsthand what academic writing in their discipline consist
Due to the rise in immigration and the demographics of classrooms in America are changing. As a result, English Language Learners are becoming more common in schools. English Language Learners make up one of the largest demographics in the American Classroom (Flynn & Hill, 2005). These students have been observed to have a major achievement gap because many of these students are placed in mainstream classrooms with basic literacy skills. Many English Language Learners are born in the United States (Goldenberg, 2008). These students have only attended the school system in America. However, the achievement levels are nowhere near the level of their peers. According to Calderon, Slavin, and Sanchez (2011) “these students, who have been in U.S. schools since kindergarten, are still classified as limited English proficient when they reach middle or high school— suggesting strongly that preschool and elementary programs are not adequately addressing the needs of English learners.” The achievement gap between English Language Learners and native English speaking students is extremely high. English Language Learners tests scores are low. According to the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress, “fourth grade ELLs scored 36 points lower than their peers on the reading section of the test and 25 points below their peers in math. The results in eighth grade were worse with a difference of 42 points in reading and 37 points in math” (Goldenberg, 2008). The gap between ELLs and non-ELLs are three to eighteen points larger then students from low-income households.
Several people have trouble writing college level essays and believe that they are unable to improve their writing skills. In “the Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer,” Sarah Allen argues how no one is born naturally good at writing. Sarah Allen also states how even professional writers have trouble with the task of writing. Others, such as Lennie Irvin, agree. In Irvin’s article “What is ‘Academic’ Writing?” states how there are misconceptions about writing. Furthermore, Mike Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer” shows ways on how one can improve their writing skills. Allen, Bunn, and Irvin are correct to say how no one is born naturally good writers. Now that we know this, we should find ways to help improve our writing skills, and
Over the past three decades a sudden and steady rise in the Hispanic population in the USA has become evident. While most of these migrants are coming from Mexico and Central America, they are all coming for better work opportunities. (STATS). Over the years more and more migrant families have taken residence in the USA. Now the Hispanic population is the largest minority group in America (SOURCE). As the amount of migrant children has increased, so has the need to incorporate these children into the local school systems so that they might have a chance to catch up with other children of their own age. Since the sheer number of migrant children, primarily of Spanish speaking countries, has increased so rapidly, the need for transitional English language proficiency programs has become more vital to the long term success of educating migrant children. According to J. Wirt, a writer for the National Center for Education Statistics, in general, Hispanic-Americans have a higher dropout rate from school and attain lower levels of education that non-Hispanics (Wirt, 2000, pg. 1). Wirt also continues to state that the more recent a migrant arrives in the United States the higher the chance for one to drop out or not continue to higher education.
“After the Immigration Act of 1965, legislation law was passed to contribute the public schools in dealing with the arrival of non-English-speaking students. Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 supported programs for educating these students with English as a second language, including transitional bilingual education programs” (Echevarria and Graves 2011, p.350). This Act did not completely articulate how to go about educating these students. An unclear message was received or not received in whether there was going to be a process of their first languages or a complete transition to English. “The outcome of Title VII was that most ELs were consigned in English-only classrooms without suitable instructional
Monzó and Rueda (2009) conducted a study examining the concept of passing for English proficient in Latino immigrant children. They studied a group of Latino English language learners (ELLs) in and outside of school. They not only observed these students but also interviewed them as well. Within these interviews students opened up about their feelings about their first language, English, and their place in American society. Monzó and Rueda (2009) then found within their data the most common forms of passing for English proficient that these students used.
Johnson and Newport used 46 native Chinese or Korean second language learners of English who were students and faculty members at an American university. The subjects were presented together because of their native languages dissimilarity to English and lack of difference in the results of two groups. The subjects' ages differentiate between 3 and 39, when they first arrived in the US and they had lived in the target language culture for between the age of 3 and 26. According to their age of arrival in the US, t...
Primary trait scoring is linked with the work of Lloyd- Jones (1997) for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a large scale testing program for schools in the US. Primary trait scoring shows a limiting of criteria planned for holistic scoring as it requires scoring a piece of writing by just one characteristic related to that task. The primary trait is recognized by the task designers and makes teachers and students able to concentrate on a critical characteristic of the task, such as appropriate text staging, creative response, effective argument, reference to sources, audience design, and so on. But while the approach identifies that responding to everything at the same time is not possible, raters may find it hard
Qualitative and quantitative instruments were used in obtaining data for this instructional problem. The first instrument used was quantitative, the instructor gave students a writing assignment, and when it was graded, it was clear that there was a problem with effective topic and thesis statements, as well as general organization of the paper. To be sure that this wasn’t an isolated problem, the second instrument was developed; a quantitative instrument that surveyed the teachers, asking for information on their students comprehensive writing skills.
Although adequate writing skills are indispensable for life, leisure, and employment, quite a few students do not learn how to write effectively. Since writing is an exercise in thinking, it is important to balance the process of writing with the mechanics of writing. The areas of the brain involved in the writing task are varied yet interrelated; therefore, a student’s individual needs will determine the method of instruction they receive. Many students who have low expectations for their own academic success will not make even minimal efforts to complete a...
Bilingual education have been a serious issue for immigrant student. Beginners in education who move to the United States, have an issue with communication, in how to understand English, and losing their identity. For immigrants students, not knowing a second language affect seriously their life in the United States. In his article “An Education in Language,” Richard Rodriguez presents how the English language became a barrier that changed him and his family. Rodriguez explains how hard the challenge of understanding English was for him during his early years of school. Besides, Rodriguez illustrates that his parents’ lives were affected by lacking education and their opinion about it. In addition, he moved over to pursue higher education.
Works Cited Crank, V. (2012). The 'Standard'. From high school to college: Developing writing skills in the disciplines. WAC Journal, 2349-63, pp. 63-63.
Crème, P., & Lea, Mary R. (2008). [PDF format]. Writing at University (3rd edition.), McGraw Hill Education. Retrieved from www.kantakji.com/fiqh/Research/ti134.pdf.
Through assessment students and teachers are able to determine the level of mastery a student has achieved with standards taught. Both formative and summative assessment should be purposeful and targeted to gain the most accurate data to drive further instruction (Ainsworth, 2010). While this syllabus does a good job of identifying the need for both formal and informal assessments, the way in which this is communicated does not provide enough detail for understanding. Simply listing assessment types does not give any insight into how these assessments fit in the learning process of this course. While some of the assessments mentioned could be common assessments chosen by the school or district to gain insight into the effectiveness of instruction, the inclusion of authentic assessments is most beneficial to students and demonstrates learning in a context closer to that of a work environment (Rovai, 2004). Unfortunately, this particular course, according to this syllabus, relies heavily on quizzes and traditional tests and essays to form the bulk of assessment opportunities. While other activities, such as formative assessments, journaling and discussions are mentioned as possible avenues for scoring, they are given a very low percentage of the overall grade. This shows that they are not valued for their ability to show progression and mastery. If this is indeed the case, this puts the students as a