The Learning Web - Academic Advising & Student Success
The three Rs (Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic) are considered by most to be the skill sets necessary for success
in college courses. Thus, the vast majority of colleges in the US have developmental programs that deal with these skills so
that each student will then be assessed as 'college ready'. Some institutions refer to their programs as 'remedial'. This may
not be the best descriptor, since the word refers to the correcting or strengthening of skill sets previously learned. In many
(most?) cases the skill sets were never learned; and for some, never even offered. Alternatively, 'developmental' refers to
the establishing or creating of those skill sets (reading, writing, ciphering/computing).
Hypothetically speaking, you (Dr. Watson) are the Three-Rs Tsar of the US Department of Education. You have
been charged with the responsibility of examining and prioritizing each R. Due to the downturn in the US economy, massive
cuts have to be made to the colleges' developmental programs. Financing will soon be available for only one R. Your
decision will have a tremendous impact on tens of thousands of college students. Fortunately, you have a Deputy Tsar - me
(Dr. King)! You have asked me to work with you in making the right decision. What follows is my report to you.
TO: Dr. Kabrina Sanchez Watson, Three-Rs Tsar, US Department of Education
FROM: Dr. Michael John King, Deputy Three-Rs Tsar, US Department of Education
The Most Important Of The Three Rs
It would be a long, hard search finding someone who did not agree with the following sentence: 'Strong reading,
writing, and ciphering skills dramatically increase the probability of success in college'. I definitely agree with the statement.
Therefore, it is very difficult to determine which two Rs fail in making the 'final cut'. But the decision must be made.
Since developmental programs exist in order to increase the chances of a student being successful in his/her
journey toward graduation day, I will 'invent' a typical college student. Let's name the student 'Sara'. Sara has successfully
completed at least one developmental course in each of the three Rs. She is now categorized as 'college ready'. This
semester she is enrolled in a total of four, first-year-level courses: algebra, history, composition, and biology. Her semester
load is thirteen credit hours (the biology course has a one-hour lab). She is classified as full-time.
For purposes of what follows in my report, assume that Sara did not have the opportunity of receiving
developmental coursework in each of the three Rs. She received preparatory help in only one R. We will now examine
Sara's current course load, one course at a time. As we analyze each of her four courses, let's see how developmental
preparation in each of the three Rs impacts the chances of her successfully completing that particular course.
Additionally, Sara will file her degree plan next week. Her career goal is to become a certified high school teacher
of history with a major in American history and a minor in political science. Two years after attaining that position, she plans
on enrolling in a master's degree program in order to earn a M.Ed. in history.
To reach her goals, Sara plans to earn an A.A.T. (Associate of Arts in Teaching) degree at her community college,
with an emphasis in American history and political science. Upon graduation, she will enroll in a four-year college where
she will earn a B.A. in Secondary Education along with a teaching certificate. Her major will be American history, with a
minor in political science.
Sara has already received some background information from three four-year colleges. She hopes to visit each of
the campuses this semester to learn more specific details concerning each College of Education and their respective
departments. She has spoken once to a counselor at her campus and plans to make another appointment in a week or two.
She wants to make certain that each of the courses on her degree plan moves her closer to graduation, without even one
minor 'detour'.
Algebra
Competence in the discipline of aRithmetics or math(ematics) can be defined as competence in computing or
ciphering. As a college freshman, I lasted a total of three weeks in my calculus course! Since dropping the course, I have
done quite well without understanding higher computational skills. My grasp of basic math (geometry, trigonometry,
algebra, etc.) is more than adequate. However, I have never desired a career which relies heavily on an understanding of
higher math. There are, however, many occupations which demand a thorough knowledge of higher computing.
Consider for a moment the importance of correctly designing that freeway overpass which you will drive on. The
civil engineer who has produced the blueprints which configure the critical factors (vehicular weight, gravitational stress, soil
condition, concrete density, weather conditions, etc.) absolutely must be an expert in higher mathematical skills. Or what
about the astrophysicist who is working on the design of the newest space shuttle for NASA? A serious understanding of
ciphering is required, or lives and millions of dollars will be lost. Similar arguments could be made for: the chemical plant
engineer, the nuclear plant designer, the college math professor, and on, and on. Higher mathematical skills are a
necessary component of many career choices.
Sara has not chosen a career which requires a high degree of ciphering knowledge. She wants to teach high
school history. But she does need to have some basic math knowledge. A liberal (this has no reference to political ideology
- it means broad, multi-faceted) college education will enable her to converse on a wide range of disciplines: history,
science, art, philosophy, literature, basic mathematics, civics, etc. Therefore, even though she will never work as a scientist
in RNA/DNA research or be required to compute the centrifugal and gravitational forces exerted on an orbiting
telecommunications satellite, she does need to have a basic understanding of computational concepts. Sara most
assuredly will have a monthly bank account to balance. She will certainly have to understand the impact of credit card
charges (late fees, minimum payments, etc.) In addition, Sara may be called upon to serve as a juror in a civil suite
concerning the financial investments of a genetics research corporation. Or she, as a voter, may need to determine
whether a political candidate's position on lowering the local sales tax rate is achievable. She would need that
understanding in order to comprehend a news media article detailing national import-export trade figures. An accurate
evaluation of a proposed state/federal budget, county expense report, or company federal tax spreadsheet requires those
basic ciphering skills. Obviously, one does not have far to look to understand the importance of basic math in our everyday
lives.
Sara is determined to perform well in her algebra class. At this point in her studies, she has earned a cumulative
GPA (grade point average) of 2.85 out of a maximum of 4. The college program into which she wants to be accepted
requires a minimum GPA of 3.2 out of 4. Also, her continued financial aid is contingent on her maintaining good grades.
She realizes that a high GPA requires one to perform well in not only the major and minor areas of study; but the other
areas of study as well.
How will each of the three Rs aid her in gaining a good grade in this course?
First, we will examine the benefit of successfully completing a developmental mathematics course. A lower-level
math class would assist Sara in this course to some degree. But keep in mind, her current class is algebra. This is new
material. This is un-discovered territory. Had the developmental class taught algebra, she would have already received
credit for the required algebra course. The class she is in now requires mastery in algebraic expressions of which she is
currently ignorant.
Again, the question at hand is: How will her previous developmental math class enable her to earn a high grade in
this algebra course?
Assume her next algebra exam (chapters 4, 5, and 6) will assess her knowledge of quadratic equations. In addition
to attending to the instructor's lectures, Sara must learn the math skills contained in each of those textbook chapters. She
has to work on the instructions, examples, and exercises so that this newly-developed knowledge base will be available for
her to access during the upcoming examination(s). She currently has the basic skill sets in: addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages.
Can she 'compute/cipher' her way to a new knowledge base of quadratic equation solutions? Will her ciphering
knowledge of 4 X 5 = 20 enable her to learn these new mathematical concepts in this algebra class? If she works several
hours each week doing subtraction exercises or percentage exercises, is that hard work going to move her any closer to
successfully solving quadratic problems?
Understandably, the answer is: NO!
Next, let's examine the assistance Sara receives from her successful completion of a previous developmental
writing class. Assume that Sara is good at expressing herself via the written word. She is excellent in recognizing and
authoring various types of composition: descriptive, cause and effect, comparison, sequential, contrast, simple listing, etc.
She has an eloquent way of 'painting a picture' for the reader to enjoy. In the past, Sara's writing style has won her praise
from two of her composition instructors.
So our question is: How will this prior developmental writing course help Sara in achieving a high course grade in
Algebra?
Assume that Sara is facing the same algebra exam as previously described. Will she be able to author her way to
an understanding of quadratic expressions? If she writes night and day on the importance of correctly solving mathematical
problems, will that exercise carry her even one inch closer to solving quadratics equations? What if she composes multiple
journals, emphasizing the need for college graduates to possess algebraic knowledge; does that assist her in succeeding in
her algebra course? Suppose Sara spends the next two weeks writing short essays on the successful lives of prominent
mathematicians. Is that effort bringing her any closer to a mastery of quadratic equations?
Clearly, the answer is: NO!
Now, let us examine the benefit Sara receives in this current algebra class after successfully completing her
developmental reading course.
Again, assume that she is facing the same algebra exam (chapters 4, 5, and 6 dealing with solving quadratic
equations) as mentioned above. Sara is well versed in the essential reading skills: topic/subject, main idea, supporting
detail, pattern of organization, words-in-context, word parts, mood/tone, purpose, inference, conclusion, graphic
interpretation, critical reading, figurative language, etc. Her goal is to use these reading skills in order to comprehend what
the textbook author(s) has provided in the course text. Given her strong reading abilities can she learn the methods of
solving quadratic equations? Using her comprehension skills can she 'tap' into the knowledge/understanding/wisdom of the
person(s) who authored these three math chapters? Assuming the classroom teacher has given her some instructional
handouts, can her reading skills 'unlock' the helpful information that resides within them?
Obviously, the answer is: YES!
History
Assume for a minute that Sara plans to major in electrical engineering and upon graduation start a career as an
electrical engineer. Why is it important for her to have a basic knowledge of history? Obviously, history deals with what has
already happened. Knowing how the human race dealt with issues in the past can assist one in making contemporary
decisions. It is not unlike an adult having experiences earlier in life which assist one in dealing with the present, and the
future. Mistakes a person made as a child or adolescent frequently provide wisdom in avoiding similar errors in judgment
later on in life. That 'history' acts as a guide, an advisor, a counselor to which we can turn when choices need be made.
This would be at the 'micro' (individual) level.
Turning to the 'macro' (societal) level; an understanding of history (local, state, national, and world) would be along
those same lines. Instead of concerning only you, it deals with many people. Topics like: war, natural resources, famine,
dictatorship, pestilence, political corruption, trade, taxation, disease, religion, natural disasters, nuclear power, etc. have
been dealt with in the past. Knowing the successes and failures of those (historical) encounters is of great benefit when
those important issues present themselves during our lifetime. We can tap into the wise or unwise actions of earlier people
and, hopefully, go down the correct paths. As voters and jurors, an historical knowledge base is important in selecting the
best political candidates and in bringing justice to courtroom litigants. A well-known quote goes something like this: "A
knowledge of history keeps us from repeating earlier mistakes".
In Sara's case, her course concentrations are: American history and political science. Therefore, a strong
knowledge base in American history and government is crucial. Upon graduation, others will look to her as an expert in
those two areas. She definitely needs to perform well in this history course. Not only will a high grade boost her GPA, it will
provide the (historical) foundation for her future courses in history and government. There is still another reason she is
under pressure to score well. When she applies to a four-year college, the acceptance committee will be favorably
impressed if she has performed well in her areas of concentration.
Assume that Sara's next history exam will cover Chapters 5, 6, and 7 which deal with the US Civil War, or otherwise
described as The War Between the States. In addition to the three textbook chapters, the classroom instructor has provided
a total of 41 pages of assistive handout materials.
How will each of the three Rs aid her in gaining a good grade in this course?
Our current question for discussion is: How will her previous developmental math class enable her to earn a high
grade in this history course?
Sara has an understanding of basic mathematical computation. If she adds up the states on the side of the Union
and on the side of the South, will that deliver an understanding of the US Civil War? What if she subtracted one from the
other several times each day - any help? Could Sara calculate the percentage of locomotives to railway boxcars for each
army, North and South, in order to score high points on the upcoming exam? Would it assist her goal of achieving a top
grade in the course if she added up all of the casualties at each of the major battles during the war? If she totals the
amount of armaments each side manufactured per month, and did this calculation multiple times a day for two weeks; is all
that effort carrying her any closer to a high history grade?
Certainly, the answer is: NO!
Our next discussion question is: How will Sara's former developmental writing class assist her in scoring high on
her history exams?
Assuming she is facing the same upcoming history exam as previously detailed, what benefit will Sara receive from
her developmental writing skills? Her goal is to gain an understanding of the US Civil War. What if she writes about the
huge impact the war had on our nation? Could she chronicle the major battles, listing the ebb and flow of the spirit of each
side? Sara could pen a number of hypothetical events and show how each one would have changed the course of the
conflict. She could author a compare/contrast essay dealing with the two opposing generals, Grant and Lee. The problem
with these suggested activities is that Sara is ignorant of these topics. One can't write about something if s/he lacks the
knowledge base.
The efforts in the preceding paragraph would be of some benefit in a history course; but keep in mind that writing is
a 'sender', not a 'receiver'. You don't write an essay to learn new information. You author a passage only after you have
gained (i.e., learned) an understanding of what you are writing about. Before you can 'send' knowledge, you must have
previously 'received' it - captured it - internalized it.
Remember, Sara wants to gain new information from the textbook and handouts. Will her developmental writing
skills move her to that goal?
Obviously, the answer is: NO!
The new discussion question at hand is: How will Sara's developmental reading course help her in earning a high
grade in this history class?
Again, she wants to prepare for the same history test that was described earlier. Sara needs to gain an
understanding of the US Civil War. She possesses the essential reading skills needed to understand college textbook
material: topic, main idea, inference, vocabulary, etc. Using these strengths, can she absorb the information the author(s)
has placed on each page (including the handouts)? Will these skills make the words and phrases in each paragraph 'come
to life' as if Sara were there experiencing troop movements, great speeches, political calculations, and each military retreat?
Can she harness the differing attitudes, desires, and viewpoints of the generals, soldiers, and politicians during those long
years of struggle? Will her reading of the assignments better prepare her for the classroom lectures/discussions and
research papers that await her?
Absolutely, the answer is: YES!
[ Earlier I wrote: "The efforts in the preceding paragraph would be of some benefit in a history course; but keep in
mind that writing is a 'sender', not a 'receiver'." Since Sara has used her reading skills to gain a better
understanding of the US Civil War, she is now able to place her 'writing cap' on and become a knowledgeable
'sender'. She can write about the topic because she is no longer ignorant of the US Civil War. Yes, her reading
abilities have enabled Sara to achieve some benefit from expressing this understanding in her written word. But
remember, it was only after she 'read her way' out of ignorance. ]
Composition
The possession of composition skills simply means one can write a coherent passage. The writer (composer) has
the talent/ability to express oneself in such a clear and easily understood manner that the message is received. The reader
(receiver) of the passage knows what the sender (writer) is 'saying'. This ability of sharing information is required in many
areas of life. A 'signal' from the author is delivered. A receiver (reader) 'captures' that missive and gains something from it.
That 'something' could be one or more of the following: understanding, discomfort, joy, changed opinion, disagreement,
altered behavior, enlightenment, anger, optimism, sarcasm, skepticism, etc. Put another way, reading and writing are
opposite sides of the same coin: one side 'sends', the other side 'receives'. So very much of a culture's progress can be
attributed to these intellectual skills.
So, how would this composition skill be applicable in career settings? Will you not have to compose and deliver
correspondence to both your superiors and your subordinates? In today's environment there are many delivery systems
you can use. Your boss requests that you e-mail her the results of your research. An associate asks for a short summary
of the project proposal. The team which you supervise needs an outline of the steps necessary for successful program
accreditation. The county's insurance provider requires a letter of explanation detailing the budget projections for the
forthcoming fiscal year. Your banker needs an analysis of sales figures, broken down by both county and state. A former
employee asks for a letter of recommendation to add to his job application portfolio. Successful professionals are able to
handle these assignments.
Sara has not begun her teaching career. However, there are many occasions right now where she will need a
strong writing ability. A number of her courses will require one or more of the following: journal, research paper, book
report/critique, descriptive essay, website analysis, persuasive essay, chapter summary, presentation outline, PowerPoint
speech, etc. Soon she will be sending in applications to four-year colleges. Frequently the school requires a portfolio of
items which will be reviewed in determining admission into the program. It is not unusual to have to compose an essay
explaining why you (the applicant) are a wise choice.
Typically there will be two textbooks in a composition class: one dealing with grammar and one that offers
examples of well-written composition (i.e., a reader). The grammar text will explain things such as: punctuation,
prepositional phrases, compound sentences, contractions, capitalization, fragments, run-ons, etc. The textbook reader will
present quality prose organized into sections dealing with the different types of writing: descriptive, cause and effect,
problem - solution, comparison, narrative, contrast, definition, sequential, etc. The student uses this resource to answer
questions such as: What does a quality comparison - contrast essay look like?
Let's say that Sara's current composition task is to write a two-page comparison - contrast (i.e., c/c) essay. Her c/c
passage will show the similarities and differences of two different institutions of higher learning in Texas. She has selected
HCC and Houston Baptist University (HBU) for her paper. Sara has never written this type of paper before. Her textbook
reader contains four examples of high quality c/c essays. Both her instructor and tutors have made comments about Sara's
frequent use of sentence fragments and run-on sentences in her previous essays. She needs to be very careful and not
repeat these types of writing errors in this current paper.
How will each of the three Rs aid her in gaining a good grade in this course?
Our current question for discussion is: How will Sara's previous developmental math class enable her to perform
well in this composition class?
Sara has a mastery of basic ciphering: adding, multiplying, fraction-decimal-percentage conversions, etc. Would
there be a benefit to her if she visited the HBU campus and totaled the number of buildings or parking spaces? What if she
calculated the percentage of female students currently enrolled, or determined the fraction of students with valid library
cards? Could she increase her essay score if she subtracted the average lab fee from the average charge for a three-hour
lecture class? By finding the ratio of married students to international students, could that raise her essay grade? Will it be
of any help to Sara if she added up the number of full-time faculty members? Would it increase her essay grade if she
computed the number of pages from the c/c essays in her reader? Would knowing the number of times the word 'a'
appears in the first c/c essay in her textbook reader bring her closer to receiving an 'A' on the current assignment?
Clearly, the answer is: NO!
Now let us turn to our next discussion question: How will Sara's former developmental writing class assist her in
this composition course?
Assume that Sara has the same c/c essay assignment as detailed earlier. Also, consider that this will be her first
attempt at composing this sort of paper. Her background in developmental writing has helped her prepare for the current
class. However, she is having problems with run-ons and fragments. Sara is ignorant of how to construct a passage
without any sentence fragments or run-on sentences. She has a resource to help solve these two deficiencies: her
grammar textbook. That resource can provide the instructional assistance she requires. But how can Sara tap into that
assistance?
What if Sara writes a journal entry on how important it is to avoid run-ons? Would her ignorance of these two
writing skills be erased if she copied the first chapter from her reader twenty times? Could she improve her grammar power
by listing the headings and subheadings of her grammar text? A letter to Sara's biology instructor requesting his view on
the importance of a strong writing ability; would that be of help? If she wrote a short e-mail to each of her classmates
requesting a response detailing how they were performing in their college coursework; would that remove these
grammatical weaknesses?
Obviously, the answer is : NO!
Let us now turn to Sara's second concern: recognizing and constructing a properly-written c/c essay. At this point
she does not know who to compose a quality c/c essay. All is not lost! Sara owns a reader text - the solution source. Her
reader contains four quality c/c essays which demonstrate that particular 'brand' of writing. The templates are at her finger
tips. All that is required is for Sara to 'mine' the understanding contained therein. What is the proper 'tool' that she needs to
bring to the learning table? How will she tap this resource in order to remove her ignorance regarding a college-level c/c
paper?
Would Sara improve her understanding if she uses her developmental writing skills to create a passage which asks
the question: 'Is a c/c essay an appropriate assignment for a college composition course'? Could she increase her
understanding of a quality c/c essay format if she wrote a letter to her parents stating that her current task was to write a c/c
paper? What if Sara sent a text message to her best friend to see if that friend had ever had a similar assignment when he
was in college; would that move her closer to her goal? Would her essay grade be improved if she copied the titles, the
authors, and the publication dates of the four c/c essays in her reader? Let's say she wrote her instructor a note asking
which of the essay assignments in that course was the instructor's favorite; would that gain her a stronger understanding of
c/c essays?
Certainly, the answer is NO!
Let's turn now to the discussion question: Is Sara's previous developmental reading course going to aid her in this
composition class?
Sara's current assignment in her composition course is to compose a two-page c/c essay. Keep in mind that Sara
has never composed a c/c essay. Also, she is having trouble avoiding run-ons and fragments when she writes. In addition,
she has a grammatical text and a composition reader as instructional resources. What 'tool' will be needed to 'unlock' the
knowledge contained within those two reference textbooks? Let's see.
Take Sara's grammatical deficiencies first. Sara possesses reading skills. Can those skills be put to use in order to
understand what a run-on sentence and a sentence fragment are? Will she be able to tap into the education of the
author(s) of her grammar text so that she does not make those same mistakes in her future writings? Using her reading
ability, will she be able to understand the examples of properly constructed English sentences and paragraphs? Will Sara's
knowledge of English prose be improved after she reads the author(s) explanations of why a particular passage has
grammatical problems and why another passage does not? Will her reading ability enable her to revisit this grammar text if
in the future she has concerns about properly-constructed grammatical formations?
The clear answer is: YES!
Next we look at Sara's lack of understanding of how one creates a properly-composed c/c essay. She has reading
skill knowledge. Can she put that reading ability to work in learning from the four sample c/c essays in her reader? Will she
be able to grasp the framework of a quality c/c paper? Could her reading skills 'open the door' to a better understanding of
each of the author's writing format; thus increasing the quality of her work? Taking what she learned in her developmental
reading class and applying it to the task at hand, does Sara move closer to becoming a successful writer? Can she use her
reading ability to clearly comprehend what the author(s) is expressing? By skillfully reading the sample essays, can Sara
harness the wisdom and guidance provided by the hints, descriptions, and suggestions contained in her reader?
The obvious answer is: YES!
[ Sara has two areas of weakness in her composition course: grammar (problem with run-ons and fragments) and
recognizing and penning a compare - contrast essay. Her developmental writing course assisted her to a point.
However, it was not helpful in removing her deficiencies. It is her developmental reading skills that allow her to
access the instructional material in her two textbooks in order to 'close the circle' and replace her ignorance with
understanding. She is now able to fulfill her course assignment by composing a well-written c/c essay which
contains neither sentence fragments nor run-on sentences. ]
Biology
Sara's current goal is to become a certified high school teacher of American history. The discipline of biology is
about as far removed from the study of American history as one could imagine, unless it focuses on the history of American
biologists. So, why the need to understand basic biology? Biology is the study of life forms and processes; botanical and
zoological. Examining the importance of a basic understanding of biology at the 'micro' level (i.e., your personal life) reveals
benefits such as: nutrition, exercise, reproduction, weight control, energy level, bacterial and viral infection, hygiene,
genetic abnormality, etc. Some of the advantages of knowing about biology at the 'macro' level (i.e., societal arena) helps in
forming viewpoints concerning: government inoculation policies (e.g., flu and H1N1 vaccinations), infant formula
requirements, epidemic-caused mandatory quarantine laws, disease outbreak reporting procedures, pre-natal genetic
screening regulations, RDA (recommended daily allowance) minimums for nutritional supplements, pesticide restrictions,
mosquito extermination recommendations, genetic modification of crops, clinical safety guidelines, etc.
Sara does not plan on using biological knowledge in her career. But she still wants to gain a liberal college
education so that she will not 'be lost' when a topic in biology comes up for discussion or she needs to make a decision on
where she stands on a biological issue. For instance, suppose in the upcoming election there is a proposed state
amendment which would make it illegal for a food manufacturer or processor to create any type of genetic alteration to a
plant, farm animal, food, or food byproduct. As a concerned voter and citizen, Sara needs to have enough general
understanding of the biological processes and forms in order to come to a reasoned, logical conclusion on this important
matter. This will allow her to be an active participant in our political system and express her decision by voting her point of
view on election day.
Let us say that Sara faces an examination in three weeks over chapters 7, 8, 9, and 10 which deal with the genetic
factors that determine the sex of a human fetus and the (typical) 39-week gestation period. The instructor has provided 14
pages of anatomical diagrams, weekly growth charts, and color illustrations along with a 4 page summary of the overall
reproductive process. Sara has taken only one course in the biological sciences in her educational career. It was in the
tenth grade, and she earned a 'D'. The main reason for her poor performance was because she was not serious at the time
about learning. Things have dramatically changed in the past two years. She now knows where she is headed. This
'dream' of teaching high school history motivates her to excel in all of her studies. She plans on doing much, much better in
her second biology course!
How will each of the three Rs aid her in gaining a good grade in this course?
First, we will examine the benefit of successfully completing a developmental mathematics course. Sara holds
basic ciphering abilities. If she computed the average weight gain for each of the 39 weeks of gestation, is that bringing her
nearer to receiving an 'A' on the upcoming exam? What if Sara calculated the ratio of male to female births for each of the
last 50 years in the United States, will she then perform well? If she computed the number of confirmed cases of neonatal
genetic deformities in the State of Texas, would that add points to her upcoming examination? Would her course grade
improve if she found the probability of a 'typical' couple having a healthy baby in each of the 254 counties in Texas? What if
Sara determined which genetic problem was the most likely to occur when two close relatives have a child, would that add
points to her test score?
Certainly not!
Now let us consider how Sara's former developmental writing class might assist her in this current biology class?
Sara has an exam in three weeks which will deals with the human gestation cycle and the sex determinants of the
fetus. If she writes a journal entry which emphasizes the importance of good nutrition during the gestation period, is that
helping improve her chances of earning a high grade in the course? What if she authors a letter to her mother requesting
her activity level during the time she (Sara) was developing inside of mom; is this bringing Sara closer to acing this test?
Sara decides to send an e-mail to six of her classmates requesting their respective weeks of gestation - will that gain her a
higher grade average in this biology course? What if she pens a one-page essay describing her reaction to her obstetrician
informing her (hypothetically speaking) that her fetus has a genetic abnormality - will that aid Sara in doing well in her class?
Clearly, not!
Our current discussion question is: Will Sara's successful completion of a developmental reading course help her
in this biology class?
Sara is facing the same exam as previously detailed. Her goal is to grasp the knowledge contained in the four
assigned textbook chapters and the handouts. She has only a slight background in biology. Sara has had only one prior
course in this discipline, and it was a few years ago. In addition she just barely passed the class, having earned a 'D'. She
realizes that she will probably have to 'run faster' than most of her classmates. However, she is very determined to achieve
at least a 'B' as an overall grade.
Sara must place into her long-term memory the three areas of study: human gestation period, sex determination at
the point of conception, and reproductive process. Because of her developmental reading course, she has the required
skills to comprehend college text such as: words-in-context clues, conclusion, tone, purpose, supporting details, etc. Will
her reading strengths enable her to absorb the knowledge within the assigned sentences and paragraphs? If she reads and
re-reads the text, will she be able to visualize the steps and procedures described by the author(s)? Having read the
handouts, could she then give a brief overview to her classmates during the next classroom session? Even though Sara
has never been pregnant, will her reading ability get her closer to an understanding of the changes that the birth mother
experiences as the weeks of gestation progress? After reading the sex determination material, will she be able to correct
someone who thinks that the sex of the baby is decided by the mother?
Obviously, the answer is: YES!
Some Comments
I have used Sara as an example of the typical first-year college student. You probably noticed that she was
required to perform well on many, many examinations. What was the first task she faced when taking a test? The answer
is: she had to READ each of the enquiries on the exam. She not only must be able to READ each of the test questions;
she has to COMPREHEND each question. Before Sara can accurately select the correct response to each exam question,
she has to know what the enquiry is requesting of her. If she does not understand (i.e., via reading skills !) what the
examiner (i.e., the college professor) is asking of her, how can she give a correct response? If she is not aware of the
request, she is left only with guessing on the exam question.
Let's be even more specific. Sara has a math course. Many of her test questions are classified as 'word problems'.
Before she can respond to each 'written' request, Sara must first use her reading skills to understand what is being asked.
To phrase this a second way: before you cipher, you have to comprehend.
Sara also has a composition class. Most her grade is determined by responding to writing prompts on essay
examinations. An example might be: 'Using a descriptive pattern-of-organization format, write a two-page essay describing
one of your friends'. Sara needs reading skills in order to know how to respond to the writing prompt. The situations are
similar for the exams in her biology and history courses.
Is it reasonable to say: the possession of reading comprehension skills is a requirement in virtually ALL college
classroom coursework? The overall method of assessing the knowledge acquired or previously possessed by college
students is via a paper-type examination. If a college student does not understand what is being requested of that student,
how can the student tap into her/his knowledge base?
With regard to the other two R's. Given a multiple choice, a true-false, or a matching question (the most-used types
of test question in higher education, by far!) on an examination, can the student make much progress by using skills in math
or writing? Does not the student need to first READ the question? If Sara were to add up the total number of questions on
her sociology test, would that add any points to her final exam score? What if she wrote three or four paragraphs describing
her feelings about the appropriateness of the test questions; would it help? Sara could construct a numeric ratio of the
number of multiple choice questions to the number of true-false questions on her civics test. Would that increase her
score? She could write a two-page essay about how the chemistry exam she is taking did not address what she considered
the crucial components covered in the previous five classroom lectures. Will that add points to her test? I think the answer
is crystal clear? It is all about reading skills!!!
My Recommendation
As I have mentioned previously, each of the three Rs is very important for student success in college, and beyond.
However, because of federal budgetary restraints only one of the Rs will be funded for the foreseeable future. You, Dr.
Watson, have requested that I conduct an evaluation of the benefit that each R provides to college students who are not
classified as 'college ready'. My task has not been an easy one. I have had to make some difficult choices. But I must do
what is necessary in order to provide the maximum assistance (as our limited funds allow) to our country's college students.
After reading (note I did not say 'writing' or 'computing' !) my report up to this point, you most likely have a strong
idea of what my recommendation to you is. Of the three Rs, reading is the most critical. With that skill set, the college
student can learn the remaining two Rs; and much, much more! College textbooks (and other books) are loaded with
instructional information which teaches the reader how to write coherent passages and how to cipher using numerical
quantities/expressions. The master key in unlocking that vast wealth of knowledge, ability, and wisdom is the possession of
one R, reading.
Respectfully,
Dr. Michael John King
Deputy Three-Rs Tsar
US Department of Education