Report #1
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Elise Geraghty
Date 11/11/09
FIPP Partner Nelson Espinola
Section #6042
Activity /Strategy 32-Day Commitment
Category Out-of-Class Experience
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction English 82 is a reading class, so I am constantly emphasizing the
importance of consistent reading--not just readings that are assigned--as a tool
for growing vocabulary and strengthening both reading and writing skills. I
notice that students often only read what's required but rarely for leisure or
pleasure. I want the help them develop the "habit" of daily reading.
2. Set up & Supplies In lab, we navigate several online newspapers and discuss
their differences. I also bring a hardcopy newspaper to class to demonstrate
that not having a computer does not mean no daily reading. I have LA Weekly,
The Union (ECC's paper) and other local papers on display as viable options
for this commitment. The students have fun surfing the net for newspapers
and then exploring the different sections of the newspapers (sports and
entertainment are acceptable reading for this commitment).
3. Directions I ask the students commit, for 32 days, to checking in with some
newspaper every day and identifying the headline that interests them most.
They will keep a journal with daily entries that include the date and the
following opening sentence: "The most interesting headline today is_____."
The student then gives a very brief summary of the article and I "check in" and
read their journals every Wednesday while we're in lab (and where they can
also do their commitment for the day). I give lots of personalized feedback on
how interesting their articles are and ask follow-up questions about the stories
they're following.
4. Conclusion The students were overwhelmingly in favor of this commitment.
Some of them became very involved with stories that they followed for days
and I received several excited emails about updates to a particular story. They
had fun sharing their stories with each other and me. I did not grade this
activity with a letter, but with feedback and for credit for doing it.
What worked well? The lack of pressure of a letter grade--nothing "test"-like. They
enjoyed getting my feedback, which I handwrote into their journals, so that they felt
acknowledged. I really enjoyed reading some of their summaries, and they responded
well to my questions about the stories they wrote about. The "converation," between us
made this particularly fun, I think.
What would you change? I really like it the way it was; I would use it in a writing class too
(this is a reading class). I'm not sure I would change much; keeping it simple and low
key seems to have worked. Not all students completed it successfully, but they were
the minority.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Yes--they enjoyed it and I
know it was good for them to be reading every day.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. A lot more interest in the articles we read as
assignments and evidence that they were choosing to read related articles for their 32Day commitment. This taught them how much more engaged they can be in the
readings if they take an active part in the class work; the 32 Day commitment gave them
the opportunity to do outside research on class readings. A Student Learning Outcome
for English 82 is: students will demonstrate ability to comprehend multi-paragraph nonfiction texts written at the 7th-9th grade level by passing standardized cloze reading test.
This activity exposed students repeatedly to multi-paragraph non-fiction texts and
allowed them to practice reading and comprehension strategies daily.