THE PEDAGOGY OF
ACCELERATION: CLASSROOM
PRACTICES IN PILOT ENGLISH
COURSES AT THREE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES
Jeanne Costello, Fullerton College
Bridget Kominek, Fullerton College
Kyra Mello, Yuba College
Melissa Reeve, Solano Community College
Introduction


Who we are
How we met:
California Acceleration
Project
 http://cap.3csn.org/
Presentation Outline


Our acceleration pilots and emerging data
Overview of the strategies
 Attending
to the affective domain
 Intensified reading
 Just-in-time remediation


Small-group breakout discussion of strategies
Gallery walk
Fullerton College: Pilot Model

We took four sections of English 59 (two levels below transfer, the
second in three pre-transfer developmental English classes in our
composition sequence) and made them pilots in our exploration of
acceleration.



We teach the course using accelerated pedagogy while still meeting the
requirements of the current course outline for the traditional course.
This pilot will run through next year, while a new, permanent
accelerated course is being created and fine-tuned. The pilot sections
will be replaced by a permanent accelerated course (English 99) in the
fall 2014 semester (pending approval).
We are using an existing “pop-up” process to move approved students
into English 100 until the permanent English 99 course is approved. We
forward the names and student ID numbers of approved students to our
dean and the counseling division on our campus. They are manually
cleared to register for 100 without having to take English 60. This
process is already used to manage “misplaced” students in the
developmental sequence.
Fullerton College: Emerging Data
Results for Spring 2012 Semester:
 Total number of students to complete the pilot course in
spring 2012: 90 (of the 102 who started it)
 Total number of students approved for English 100: 60,
59% of those who started the course
 Total number of students approved for English 60: 20,
20% of those who started the course
 Total number of students who did not pass English 59:
22, 22% of those who started the course
 The course had an 88% retention rate and a 79%
success rate (students passing to 100 or 60)
Yuba College: Pilot Model
Yuba College’s traditional development sequence contained four levels of developmental writing
courses. Additionally, Yuba College had a separate sequence of four developmental reading
courses. Although the Reading courses were not required for transfer or graduation, many students
enrolled in the courses. Success and persistence rates were extremely low in both sequences.
English Course Sequence Option #1
Integrated
reading and
writing 4 levels
below transfer
Integrated
reading and
writing 3 levels
below transfer
Traditional 2
levels below
transfer
Traditional 1
level below
transfer
Transfer
requirement
English Course Sequence Option #2
Accelerated, Compressed,
and integrated reading
and writing 3 levels below
transfer
Traditional 2 levels below
transfer
Traditional 1 level below
transfer
By integrating reading and writing at the bottom levels, we were able
to eliminate parts of the separate, isolated reading sequence.
Transfer requirement
Yuba College: Emerging Data
Solano Community College: Pilot Model

Traditional Sequence:
 Three
levels with departmental exam required for
advancement at each level: 305  355 + 355L 
370+ 370L  English 1
 Class + lab + exam + persistence = 3-4 exit points
per level below transfer

Accelerated Model:
 5-unit,
open-access class, no lab co-requisite
 Departmental Exam rolled into coursework portfolio
 3 exit points: finish, pass, and persist to Eng. 1
Solano Community College: Emerging
Data

First-year pilot:




Fall ‘11: 35 % pass rate (3 sections)
Spring ‘12: 42% pass rate (4 sections)
No data yet available on persistence or passing Eng. 1
My Spring 2012 class:





24 students @ census; 20 completed the term
13 passed overall (54%)
Intake placement 1 level below: 61% passed
Intake placement 2 levels below: 55% passed
Intake placement 3 levels below: 100% (2) qualified to skip one
level & move to Eng. 370
Discussion of Data

Questions or comments about the data we’ve
shared?
Three Aspects of Accelerated Pedagogy
Attention to the
Affective Domain
Intensified Reading
Just-in-Time
Remediation
Attention to the Affective Domain




What is it?
What does it mean?
How is it different from conventional developmental
pedagogy?
Why does it matter?
Intensified Reading




What is it?
What does it mean?
How is it different from conventional developmental
pedagogy?
Why does it matter?
Just-in-Time Remediation




What is it?
What does it mean?
How is it different from conventional developmental
pedagogy?
Why does it matter?
Small-Group Breakout Session

You have been broken up into four groups. You will
have fifteen minutes to discuss the first strategy you’ve
been given.



Your goal is to come up with specific ways to incorporate
this strategy into an accelerated class. You can share
examples that you already use in your class or you can
brainstorm new strategies that you come up with.
As you discuss ideas, have one member of your group
take notes on the poster.
In a few minutes, one of the presenters will join your
group to share our specific strategies and participate
in the discussion.
Small-Group Breakout Session

Now, move on to the next strategy your group has
been assigned.



Your goal is to come up with specific ways to incorporate
this strategy into an accelerated class. You can share
examples that you already use in your class, or you can
brainstorm new strategies that you come up with.
As you discuss ideas, have one member of your group
take notes on the poster.
In a few minutes, one of the presenters will join your
group to share our specific strategies and participate
in the discussion.
Whole Group Debrief

Individually, jot down your name, email address,
institution, and one concrete goal you will work to
achieve in your class, teaching practice or campus
effort related to acceleration. Use the post-it notes
provided at your table.
Whole Group Debrief


Put your post-it notes on the wall next to your
group’s discussion notes.
Take the last few minutes of the session to do a
gallery walk: go around and read and discuss the
other teams’ discussion notes and individual goals.
 As
you walk around, take time to connect with people
who have goals that are similar to your own or that
complement yours. How might you work together?