Date:
Course:
Fall 2008
BE-225 ESL Basic Reading Skills for ESL Students
PART I. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
For Part I, attach the summary report (Tables 1-4) from the QCC Course Objectives Form.
TABLE 1. EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
TABLE 2. CURRICULAR OBJECTIVES
Note: Include in this table curriculum-specific objectives that meet Educational Goals 1 and 2:
Curricular objectives addressed by this course:
1. Reading Comprehension
1) Students will comprehend stated ideas in short reading selections
2) Students will distinguish between major and supporting ideas in a short passage.
2. Vocabulary
1) Students will determine the meaning of new vocabulary words.
3. . Critical Thinking
A. Students will make inferences about an author’s main ideas.
B. Students will connect information in written texts to their own experience and
background knowledge.
4. Critical
Thinking
A. Students will make inferences about an author’s main ideas.
B. Students will connect information in written texts to their own experiences and
background knowledge.
5. Writing
Students will produce a variety of writing projects based on reading assignments.
6. Listening
and Speaking
A. Students will listen to class lectures and take accurate notes.
B. Students will orally summarize the content of a reading passage.
7.
Study Skills
Students will derive information from previewing texts.
TABLE 3. GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES
Gen Ed
objective’s ID
number from
list (1-10)
General educational objectives addressed by this course: Select from preceding list.
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(1.)
Write, read, listen and speak clearly and effectively. In this course, students
practice all four language skills by reading, writing and talking about
current issues. They discuss the issues, read about topics in newspaper and
magazine articles, essays, stories or on the Internet, listen to various
viewpoints and write responses which clearly state their own point of view.
(2.)
Use personal and collaborative skills for personal growth to establish
constructive relationships in a diverse society. In this course, students from
a wide range of cultural backgrounds read about diverse customs and
cultures. They collaborate in groups to share knowledge, learn the
traditions of different peoples, and develop academic and personal
relationships.
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TABLE 4: COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course objectives
3) Students will comprehend
stated ideas in short reading
selections.
Learning outcomes
a) Students will read short passages such as
articles, short stories, summaries, and
poems and provide answers to specific
questions about these readings.
b) Students will produce paraphrases of the
main ideas of reading selections.
4) Students will distinguish
between major and supporting
ideas in a short passage.
a) Students will create outlines to differentiate between general
and specific ideas.
b) Students will create conceptual maps to illustrate the
relationship between major and supporting ideas.
3. Vocabulary: Students will
determine the meaning of new
vocabulary words.
a) Students will consult references such as a dictionary or
thesaurus to locate definitions, parts of speech, derivations,
synonyms and antonyms.
b) Students will examine the context surrounding targeted
words to draw logical conclusions about their meaning.
4. Critical Thinking
1) Students will make
inferences about an
author’s main ideas.
a) Students will write short responses that focus on a writer’s
intent by citing textual clues such as descriptive language
and emphasis
b) Students will answer questions about a text based on an
author’s implied meaning
2) Students will connect
information in written
texts to their own
experience and
background knowledge.
a) Students will write questions as they read exploring the
relevance of the main ideas and supporting details of a text
to their own life experiences
b) Students will write journal entries that specifically focus on
how reading materials relate to them personally and connect
with their own understanding of the concepts in a text
5. Writing
a) Students will write book reports, journal entries, and fully
developed homework assignments.
Students will produce a variety of b) Students will write short and long answers to essay-type test
questions based on assigned readings.
writing projects based on reading
assignments
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6. Listening and Speaking
1) Students will listen to class
lectures and take accurate
notes.
a) Students will record lecture material in detailed and organized
outline forms.
b) Students will use their notes as the basis for class discussions.
2) Students will orally
summarize the content of a
reading passage
a) Students will work in pairs or in groups to produce coherent,
accurate oral summaries of a variety of reading materials.
b) Students will work individually to produce oral book reports.
6. Study Skills
Students will derive information
from previewing texts
a) Students will skim and scan a variety of written materials for
titles and subtitles, repeated key words, boldfaced headings
and graphic aids to form a general understanding of a text.
b) Students will read the first and last paragraphs, and the topic
sentence of each body paragraph to familiarize themselves
with the general theme of a text.
PART II. ASSIGNMENT DESIGN: ALIGNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
For the assessment project, you will be designing one course assignment, which will address at least one general
educational objective, one curricular objective (if applicable), and one or more of the course objectives. Please
identify these in the following table:
TABLE 5: OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED IN ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT
Course Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 4)
Vocabulary:
Students will determine the meaning of new vocabulary words.
Writing:
Students will produce a writing projects based on reading assignments.
Listening and Speaking:
a. Students will listen to class lectures and take accurate notes.
b. Students will orally summarize the content of a reading passage
Curricular Objective(s) selected for assessment: (select from Table 2)
Vocabulary:
Students will determine the meaning of new vocabulary words
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General Education Objective(s) addressed in this assessment: (select from Table 3)
(1.)
(2.)
Write, read, listen and speak clearly and effectively. In this course, students practice all
four language skills by reading, writing and talking about current issues. They discuss
the issues, read about topics in newspaper and magazine articles, essays, stories or on
the internet, listen to various viewpoints and write responses which clearly state their
own point of view.
Use personal and collaborative skills for personal growth and to establish constructive
relationships in a diverse society. In this course, students from a wide range of cultural
backgrounds read about diverse customs and cultures. They collaborate in groups to
share knowledge, learn the traditions of different peoples, and develop academic and
personal relationships.
In the first row of Table 6 that follows, describe the assignment that has been selected/designed for this project.
In writing the description, keep in mind the course objective(s), curricular objective(s) and the general education
objective(s) identified above,
The assignment should be conceived as an instructional unit to be completed in one class session (such as a lab) or
over several class sessions. Since any one assignment is actually a complex activity, it is likely to require that
students demonstrate several types of knowledge and/or thinking processes.
Also in Table 6, please
a) identify the three to four most important student learning outcomes (1-4) you expect from this assignment
b) describe the types of activities (a – d) students will be involved with for the assignment, and
c) list the type(s) of assessment tool(s) (A-D) you plan to use to evaluate each of the student outcomes.
(Classroom assessment tools may include paper and pencil tests, performance assessments, oral questions,
portfolios, and other options.)
Note: Copies of the actual assignments (written as they will be presented to the students) should be gathered
in an Assessment Portfolio for this course.
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TABLE 6: ASSIGNMENT, OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Briefly describe the assignment that will be assessed: For this assessment, the students will be taught how to
determine the meaning of a word by examining context clues so that they understand it is not necessary to
look up every word they don’t know in the dictionary.
Desired student learning outcomes
for the assignment
(Students will…)
List in parentheses the Curricular
Objective(s) and/or General
Education Objective(s) (1-10)
associated with these desired learning
outcomes for the assignment.
1.
Students will examine the
context surrounding new
vocabulary words to draw
logical conclusions about
their meaning.
2. Students will write short
answers to essay-type test
questions based on assigned
readings.
3. Students will listen to class
lectures and take accurate
notes.
Briefly describe the range of
activities student will engage in for
this assignment.
What assessment tools will be
used to measure how well
students have met each learning
outcome? (Note: a single
assessment tool may be used to
measure multiple learning
outcomes; some learning
outcomes may be measured using
multiple assessment tools.)
1. First, the instructor will
provide a lesson to
demonstrate how the same
word can have different
meanings depending on the
context of the sentence.
1. While explaining context
clues, the instructor will
call on students in the
class to respond to
questions that lead
students to the correct
answer.
2. In small groups in class
2. While the students work
students will participate in
in groups, the instructor
an exercise that will require
will circulate to guide
them to use the context to
and assist students in
determine the meaning of
determining the meaning
the word and to write their
of new vocabulary. After
explanation of it. Then the
the group work has been
students will be provided a
completed, the class will
homework assignment to
discuss their findings.
practice this new skill. This
The students will be
activity will require them to
provided a follow-up
select the correct meaning of
activity that will be
a word from a multiple
completed at home.
choice question.
During the next class this
activity will be reviewed
as a class.
3. The instructor will provide
a lecture to explain
vocabulary in context.
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3. The effectiveness of the
lecture will be assessed
when the instructor
circulates to assist the
small groups of students
as they attempt to
determine the meaning of
new vocabulary words.
4. Students will orally
summarize the content of a
reading passage.
5. Students will be given a
passage to read and will be
asked to determine the new
vocabulary words by using
context clues.
4. In small groups and as a
class the students will
discuss the meaning of the
new vocabulary and how
they determined it from the
context.
4. The instructor will
circulate to determine if
the students are able to
figure out the meaning of
new vocabulary from
context clues.
5. The students will read a
5. A reading passage and
short article on appearance.
multiple choice questions
To decipher the new
will be utilized to assess
vocabulary accurately, they
the students ability to
will have to comprehend the
figure out the meaning of
article. Then they will be
new words form context
provided multiple choice
clues.
questions to assess their
understanding of the new
words.
PART III. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Before the assignment is given, prepare a description of the standards by which students’ performance will be
measured. This could be a checklist, a descriptive holistic scale, or another form. The rubric (or a version of it) may
be given to the students with the assignment so they will know what the instructor’s expectations are for this
assignment.
Please note that while individual student performance is being measured, the assessment project is collecting
performance data ONLY for the student groups as a whole.
TABLE 7: ASSESSMENT STANDARDS (RUBRICS)
Brief description of assignment: For this assessment, the students will be taught how to determine the
meaning of a word by examining context clues so that they understand it is not necessary to look up every
word they don’t know in the dictionary.
Desired student learning
outcomes from the
assignment: (Copy from
Column 1, Table 6 above;
include Curricular and /or
General Education Objectives
addressed)
Assessment measures for each
learning outcome:
(Copy from Column 3,Table 6
above)
1. Students will examine
1. While explaining context
the context surrounding
clues, the instructor will call
new vocabulary words to
on various students in the
draw logical conclusions
class to respond to questions
about their meaning.
that will lead the students to
the correct answer.
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Standards for student performance:
 Describe the standards or rubrics for
measuring student achievement of each
outcome in the assignment.
 Give the percentage of the class that is
expected to meet these outcomes
 If needed, attach copy(s) of rubrics.
1. The instructor will assess their
understanding as he/she hears the
students’ responses to her questions.
2.
Students will write short 2. While the students work in
answers to essay-type
groups, the instructor will
test questions based on
circulate to guide and assist
assigned readings.
students in determining the
meaning of new vocabulary.
After the group work is
complete, the entire class
will discuss their findings.
The students will be
provided a follow-up activity
that will be completed at
home. During the next class
this activity will be reviewed
as a class.
2. The instructor will circulate to
determine if his/her learners are
writing down the correct answers. If
they have mistakes, the teacher will
guide and correct them.
3. Students will listen to
class lectures and take
accurate notes.
3. When the instructor teaches
this lesson on vocabulary in
context to the class, the
students will be expected to
take notes
3. When students encounter problems
they will review their notes with the
members of their group and with the
instructor when he/she circulates.
4. Students will orally
summarize the content of
a reading passage.
4. The instructor will circulate
to determine if the students
are able to determine the
meaning of new vocabulary
from context clues.
4. The instructor will circulate to
determine if his/her learners are
writing down the correct answers. If
they have mistakes, the teacher will
guide and correct them
5. Students will be given a
passage to read and will
be asked to determine
the new vocabulary
words by using context
clues.
5. A reading passage and
multiple choice questions
will be utilized to assess the
students ability to figure out
the meaning of new words
form context clues.
5. Rubric for Test
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a) A grade of 100 indicates that the student
completely understood how to determine the
meaning of new words from context clues.
b) A grade of 90 indicates that they student
had mastered the skill of determining the
new words from context clues.
c) A grade of 80 indicates that they student
displayed a basic understanding of
determining the meaning of new words from
context clues.
d) A grade of 70 indicates that they student
displayed an elementary understanding of
determining the meaning of new words from
context clues.
e) A grade of 60 indicates that the student
displayed a weak understanding of
determining the meaning of new words from
context clues.
f) A grade of 50 indicates that the student
barely understood how to determine the
meaning of new words from context clues.
g) A grade 40 or below indicates that the
student did not understand how to determine
the meaning of new words from context
clues.
PART IV. ASSESSMENT RESULTS
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Use the following table to report the student results on the assessment. If you prefer, you may report outcomes
using the rubric(s), or other graphical representation. Include a comparison of the outcomes you expected (from
Table 7, Column 3) with the actual results. NOTE: A number of the pilot assessments did not include expected
success rates so there is no comparison of expected and actual outcomes in some of the examples below. However,
projecting outcomes is an important part of the assessment process; comparison between expected and actual
outcomes helps set benchmarks for student performance.
TABLE 8: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS
Desired student learning outcomes:
(Copy from, Column 1,Table 6 above; include
Curricular and/or General Education
Objectives addressed)
1. Students will examine the context
surrounding new vocabulary words
to draw logical conclusions about
their meaning.
2. Students will write short answers to
essay-type test questions based on
assigned readings.
3. Students will listen to class lectures
and take accurate notes.
4. Students will orally summarize the
content of a reading passage.
5. Students will be given a passage to
read and will be asked to determine
the new vocabulary words by using
context clues
Student achievement: Describe the group achievement
of each desired outcome and the knowledge and
cognitive processes demonstrated.
Score
received
Number
of
students
Percentage
that
received
this score
10
0
0
20
8
4%
30
14
6%
40
31
14%
50
36
16%
60
48
21%
70
48
21%
80
26
11%
90
14
6%
100
3
1%
228
100 %
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TABLE 9. EVALUATION AND RESULTING ACTION PLAN
In the table below, or in a separate attachment, interpret and evaluate the assessment results, and describe the
actions to be taken as a result of the assessment. In the evaluation of achievement, take into account student
success in demonstrating the types of knowledge and the cognitive processes identified in the Course
Objectives.
A. Analysis and interpretation of assessment results:
What does this show about what and how the students learned?
• Only 3 students or 1 % of the BE 225 population revealed excellent knowledge of
determining meaning of new words from context clues.
• 14 students or 6 % BE 225 population mastered the ability to determine the meaning of
new words through context clues.
• 26 students or 11% displayed a basic understanding when determining the meaning of
new words from context clues.
• 48 students or 21 % of the BE 225 population displayed an elementary knowledge when
determining the meaning of new words from context clues.
• 48 students or 21 % of the BE 225 population displayed a weak understanding when
determining the meaning of new words from context clues.
• 36 students or 16 % of the BE 225 population barely understood how to determine the
meaning of new words from context.
• 53 students or 24 % did not understand how to determine the meaning of words from
context clues.
B. Evaluation of the assessment process:
What do the results suggest about how well the assignment and the assessment process worked
both to help students learn and to show what they have learned?
This lesson was designed under the direction and supervision of an extremely
experienced reading specialist, who has successfully prepared students for college level
reading for over forty years. The assignment was carefully designed to address the level
of vocabulary knowledge required to exit BE-225; however, only 39% of the students
were able to learn the skill of vocabulary in context with this lesson. Thus, this assignment
provided tangible evidence to support the claim that approximately 61% of our BE 225
population have extremely low level reading and learning skills and need to improve their skills
greatly before they are advanced into the next level of reading, BE-226.
C. Resulting action plan:
Based on A and B, what changes, if any, do you anticipate making?
These results will be shared with all the BE-225 reading instructors so that they can
understand why it is so imperative not to promote weak students to the next level of
reading because if these students are unable to absorb this simple vocabulary assignment,
it is most likely that they will be unable to achieve mastery of the skills required to exit
this course.
QCC 12/3/04
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