Accelerating Developmental English at Atlantic Cape: A Success Story

1. Accelerating Developmental English at Atlantic Cape: A Success Story Stephanie Natale-Boianelli Assistant Professor of Developmental English Richard Russell Assistant Professor of English Leila Crawford Assistant Professor of English

2. Students who place into Engl080 by completing Engl070 or the ESL program are not currently eligible for ALP.

3. Community College of Baltimore ALP Model ENG 101 ENG 052 A L P

4. ALP Advantages (Baltimore model) • reduces stigma • improves attachment • provides stronger role model • encourages learning communities • changes attitude toward developmental course • allows individual attention • allows time for non-cognitive issues • allows coordination of the two courses A L P The Accelerated Learning Program

5. The Triad Model ENGL099 & ENGL101 are both three credit courses. Once a week, ENGL099 meets in a computer lab.

6. Two critical ALP features: Both courses are taught by the same professor. Eleven of the students in the college-level course placed into credit-level English.

7. ALP Syllabus Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives, similar to ENGL101 syllabus, with important additions: • Students will learn the value of being an active participant in a learning community: how to prepare for/attend classes; actively participate; respectfully/responsibly interact with learners; ethically collaborate/study for other classes. • Students will choose a program path for the next two years, study the schedule in the tabloid, make effective decisions for scheduling an academic semester. Students will discuss the pros and cons of shortened summer semesters and of online classes. • Students will become familiar with the college culture: make use of available and appropriate resources; meet with the instructor to discuss individual program; learn about essential services/procedures for registration and about extracurricular activities; etc.

8. What ALP Students Need Early in the semester: • Understanding of ALP (I don’t really know how I ended up here… The advisor recommended I take this class.) • Buy-in of the program (Save money! Save time!) • Buy-in of the professor (This professor authentically wants me to succeed.) • Introduction to ins and outs of their school Faculty must complete one full day of training and work with a mentor during their first semester teaching ALP

9. After a few weeks, they need • Check-ins on their other courses and professors (mid-term evaluation form). • Additional work on writing skills introduced in Composition class, acknowledging the relevancy of the work: • sample annotated readings and annotation practice in class • sample essay outline with starter sentences. • ALP student leads ALP class in creating works cited page for their essays together • complex thesis creation by writing (and answering) probing questions after a reading

10. At end of semester, they need • A sense of what’s ahead (introducing Comp II-specific skills like database-use, evaluation of websites, and argumentation techniques) • Guidance in crafting work/school schedules, choosing degree programs, selecting classes • Clearer sense of self and capabilities (letters to self through snail-mail or futureme.org)

11. Curriculum Planning • First day of each week: discuss questions from previous week in 101 and/or reading/writing concerns from other classes. • Instructor consideration: What should be reinforced in both 101 class and in ALP? What should be addressed in only ALP? • Design “just in time” exercises/group activities within learning communities. • Sometimes student-generated concerns supersede planned activities. • Active learning; NOT drill and practice. • Personalize/contextualize learning for ALP students.

12. A Sample Week ALP Day 1 In-class writing: “What is your personal legend? How will you achieve it? What obstacles might deter you?” Preview next day’s reading. Day 2 (computer lab) Generate MLA (and APA) citations for three sources (article, movie, novel), using a style guide or online citation generator (Knight Cite). English 101 Day 1––Start The Alchemist.Read “The Prologue.” Discuss the four obstacles Coelho identifies. Discuss vocabulary terms (alchemist; narcissist). Discuss the Myth of Narcissus. Discuss age/characteristics of the protagonist (Santiago). Discuss geographical context for novel. Day 2––Review Paper #1 options. Review MLA style. Lecture/powerpoint and/or discussion and inductive activity.

13. Scaling Up: Timeline 4 triads; 3 campuses; 81 students 10 triads; 180 students; 4 adjuncts; part-time students eligible 6 triads; 108 students Effie Russell pilots program with 11 students 4 triads; 51 students 4 triads; 53 students 7 triads; 126 students; first evening triad

14. The Triad Model Works! Part 1: Internal Measures of Success

15. The Triad Model Works! Part 1: Internal Measures of Success

16. The Triad Model Works! Part 2: External Measures of Success From “Replicating the Accelerated Learning Program: Preliminary But Promising Findings” study conducted by the Center for Applied Research. You can access a copy of the study here: http://alp-deved.org/2014/02/findings-from-a-nationwide-alp-study-just-released/

17. The Triad Model Works! Part 2: External Measures of Success From “Replicating the Accelerated Learning Program: Preliminary But Promising Findings” study conducted by the Center for Applied Research. You can access a copy of the study here: http://alp-deved.org/2014/02/findings-from-a-nationwide-alp-study-just-released/

18. The Triad Model Works! Part 2: External Measures of Success From “Replicating the Accelerated Learning Program: Updated Findings” study conducted by the Center for Applied Research.

19. Triad Model Advantages

20. Triad Model Challenges

21. Discovering Campus with Scavenger Hunts

22. Discovering Campus: Student Handbook Project • Step 1. Review/discuss the official student handbook. • Step 2. Brainstorm topics that should be in our handbook. • Step 3. Research/explore topic in pairs. • Step 4. Create the handbook page. • Step 5. Presentation/peer review. • Step 6. Revision and publication.

23. ALP Wellness Project “The Stressors That Make Students Quit (And How to Defeat Them)”

24. Brainstorming Wellness Work Goals: • What’s the connection between health and well-being, health and success, health and happiness? • What are the mental health and well-being issues that afflict college students? • What stands in the way of getting help? • to find out about a specific issue that afflicts college students—statistics, warning signs, issues with diagnoses/treatment • to locate campus resources and contact people • to locate local/nationwide resources and contact people • to locate a professional event, video, or source that is educational and supportive • to inform others about this issue

25. Wellness Project • Create a document, slideshow, pamphlet, poster, or some combination that addresses all five goals above. Address the goals explicitly please. • Be prepared for ten minutes for each person’s presentation of informationplus ten minutes for Q&A. • Note: From Sp‘15, topics included addiction, single motherhood, time management, anxiety and depression.

26. Self-Assessment: Reflective Writing • Students write a short reflection/letter to me to submit with Paper #1. • ICW (Week 3): Discuss your writing process. What was the most difficult part about writing Paper #1? What are the strengths of your paper? • ICW (Week 1): Besides getting “good grades,” what are your goals for this semester? How will you ensure that you are working towards these goals? • Students will revisit these goals and their progress throughout the course.

27. Self-Assessment: End-of-Term Reflection • I. What are characteristics of “good writing”? Use specific examples read for class and explain what made them effective. • II. What are your strengths as a writer? Use specific examples. • III. What are you still working on in your writing? • Some variation used for the “final exam”

28. Self-Assessment: End-of-Term Reflection From “Ending at the Start” (David Gooblar), The Chronicle of Higher Education, 29 April 2015: • Write a letter to a future student of this class. • What do you wish you would have known before taking this class? • What should future students know about this class or professor? (Advice.)

29. Thank you! • “I always felt like I was one step ahead of all the other kids in English 101 because of the extra work with the same professor.” • “I felt like the transition of coming into college was very smooth because I learned a lot here academically, but I also learned all my resources at the campus.” • “I felt more like a student at ACCC because I learned so much about not only English as a course but this college as a whole.” • “ALP greatly helped my confidence in 101. At the beginning, I didn’t know or thought I didn’t know anything about reading and writing…ALP is awesome for becoming part of the Atlantic Cape family and meeting students at similar levels…Best class ever.” www.atlantic.edu/alp