Curriculum for a Developmental
Writing Course:
Responding to the needs of a multi-level
and multi-lingual classroom
Presented by: Julia Henley, Carrie Hunter, and Anne Ochampaugh
Presentation Overview
• Project background
• Student needs
• Addressing needs and course objectives
• Additions to the curriculum
• Limitations and implications
• Concluding remarks
PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Curriculum was developed for a multi-campus
Bay Area community college
• Instructor sought input on how to address the
different linguistic backgrounds and levels in the
course
• Requested grammar lessons to meet the needs
of all students
Course Information
• Lowest level English
writing course
• Separate reading and
writing courses
• Official course goals
include: grammar for
writing, paragraph
development and
informal essays
Why are Students Enrolled in
English 151A?
• Students never took the ESL placement test and
cannot be enrolled in a higher English course
without the consent of an advisor
• Students received a low score on the ESL
placement test
• Students self-place into the course
Student Demographic
• 22 students – most recent HS graduates,
several older ESL students
• Majority had the goal to transfer
• Mixed cultural and linguistic backgrounds
(ESL, Gen 1.5, NS)
Limitations to Course Development
• Reading and writing courses are separate
• Learning Lab grammar requirement- 25%
of the students’ overall grade
• Required textbook
STUDENT NEEDS
CONVERSATIONS
WITH
INSTRUCTOR
CLASS
OBSERVATION
NEEDS
ANALYSIS
STUDENT
SURVEY
OUR
EXPERIENCES
OBJECTIVE and
SUBJECTIVE NEEDS
Objective
Mastering the
fundamentals of
grammar as applied
to sentences,
paragraphs and
informal essays
WHY?
Learning Lab:
Students aren’t
passing the grammar
modules
Subjective
 Student views of
the academic
environment in
general, and of
themselves as
learners
WHY?
45% of students drop
out of the course
Addressing Needs
Objective
Subjective
Mastery of English
grammar
Personal investment in
the writing process
grammar cards
writer-based
interactive lessons
end-of-semester
portfolio project
ongoing peer and
individual editing
ADDITIONS TO CURRICULUM
Spiral Sequencing
Grammar Cards
 Used every unit to
proofread for
grammar in writing
assignments
Portfolio Project
 Revisits previously
written work for
content and grammar
at the end of semester
Grammar Cards
• Developed in class using the sentences from the
readings as models
• A type of reference card a student can use to selfedit
• Used for each assignment throughout the course
• Each grammar point will align with the grammar
module from the Learning Lab
• By the end of the course, students will have
covered: SV ID, SVA, fragments, RTS and sentence
combining on their grammar cards
• Students will be graded on grammar covered in
the course up to the assignment turn in date
• Cards can be personalized
Sample Lesson Outline
* Based on reading of Gary Soto’s “The Jacket” used to
explore aspects of narration and practice S-V agreement
 First,
write some sample sentences on the board
that contain the grammar structures to be learned
1. He wants you
2. My aunt throws her arms around me.
3. She said he could see and hear and feel Jesus in your
soul
4. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church.
Second, either together as a class or in groups,
circle the subject and underline the verb in each
sentence.
1. He wants you.
1. My aunt throws her arms around me.
1. She said he could see and hear and feel Jesus in your
soul.
1. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church.
 Third, write rules
above the corresponding
example together as a class
Rule: When the subject of a present-tense sentence can
be replaced by a he, she or it, the verb needs to have
an ‘s’ at the end
1. He wants you.
1. My aunt throws her arms around me.
After the example sentences have the SVA rules above
them, pass out the grammar reference cards for students
to write down the SVA rules and example sentences
Portfolio Unit
Incorporate
teacher/peer feedback
Revisit each essay to
expand content and
edit for grammar
Build investment and
confidence in writing
Portfolio Unit Outline
LIMITATIONS, IMPLICATIONS,
and FINAL THOUGHTS
Limitations to Curriculum
• Grammar cards may over-simplify
grammatical structures
• Length of time to grade the portfolio
projects
Implications and Final Thoughts
• Cards can be used for multiple purposes
• Spiral sequencing allows students the
chance to become connected to their
writing
• Raises student awareness of the
importance of study strategies
Questions