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National Classical Etymology Exam. How NGHS Can Use the NCEE to Improve Its SAT Scores. Gwinnett SAT Scores (2010). The Gap. We Can Close This Gap. Closing the Gap with the National Classical Etymology Exam. Fifty multiple choice questions Latin and Greek Derivatives
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National Classical Etymology Exam How NGHS Can Use the NCEE to Improve Its SAT Scores
Closing the Gap with the National Classical Etymology Exam • Fifty multiple choice questions • Latin and Greek Derivatives • Online (http://www.quia.com/quiz/2930643.html) • Forty-five minutes • Can be given any day in November, and at different times during the day • Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals are awarded, along with certificates that we can download
NCEE Pilot • Thirty-nine NGHS Latin III students took the NCEE on November 26th, 2010. • Many of these students took the SAT on December 4th. • Seventeen won awards on the NCEE. • Those who took the SAT reported that their recently acquired knowledge from the NCEE helped them on five- ten questions.
Proposal • Language Arts students intensively study Latin and Greek roots October 31st-November 3rd. • LA students take the National Classical Etymology Exam on November 4th. • LA students take the SAT immediately thereafter, on November 5th. • NGHS testing population benefits from the added study (thirty or more points). • NGHS SAT scores improve / NGHS WSA score improves.
Curriculum of Study • Complement the LA vocabulary/root study already in place, NOT add to an already packed LA calendar. • Teach roots, rather than words • Teach word construction, rather than deconstruction • Teach efficiently
What We Do Now • Twenty words of unrelated meaning are introduced in a list (each week or so) • Differentiated activities reinforce the meaning of these twenty words (contextual fill-in-the-blank, synonyms, etc.) • At the end of each unit, students have learned fifteen-twenty words to proficiency
What We Can Do With the NCEE • Lists of related root prefixes, infixes, and suffixes are introduced • Students observe and define English words that are based on these roots • Lists that can number into the dozens off of just a few roots For example:
Prefixes • e/ex = out of, from (export) • in = in, into; on; not (import) • de = down, from, away (deport) • re = back, again; anew (report) • con/co = together, with (conscript) • ad = to, towards, near (ascribe) • per = through, badly (pervasive) • cap/cip/capt/cept = take
Resulting Vocabulary From One Base Root (cap) • except, exception • incapable, incapacitate, inception, incipient • deceive, deceit, deceptive, deception • receipt, receive, reception, receptacle • conceit, conceive, concept, conception, • accept, acceptance, acceptable • perceive, perceptive, perception What other language features are apparent?
Curriculum “A” - A root is given (with examples) over the announcements each day. - LA classes reinforce that root briefly in class each day - On Fridays, LA teachers reinforce the week’s total of roots briefly
Curriculum “A” - Two weeks prior to the test, LA teachers increase instructional focus on roots (Start-Up, Bell Ringer, Warm-Down, etc.) - Monday through Thursday before the test, all LA instruction is focused on Latin and Greek roots study - The Exam is taken on Friday - The SAT is taken on Saturday
Implementation Calendar • Pre-Planning: Discuss with LA Leads • August: LA Leads discuss with LA dept. and counselors discuss SAT registration • September (first week): Students register for SAT and reserve computer labs for the NCEE • October 3rd: Register students for the NCEE • Week of Exam: Implement Instructional Calendar and train staff for NCEE • Nov. 4th: NCEE (SAT the next day)
Why This Will Work • Motivation to earn a better score on the SAT • Motivation to earn an award for college application • Economy of effort • Brief period of focus • No threat of failure on the NCEE
Expectations • 25-30% of the testing population (125-150 students) can put an academic achievement on their college applications • SAT Verbal scores will rise by thirty points on average, with some gains as much as twice that • SAT Writing scores will benefit, albeit in a less measurable way
What We Must Do For This To Work • LA staff “buy-in” • Counseling staff “buy-in” • Student body “buy-in” • Find funds ($3/student) • Students sign up for the SAT early, and request North for testing site
Questions • Follow Curriculum “A” or a modified version? • What grade level do we test? • Do we test all students in the grade or only certain sections? • What materials do we use? • How do we pay for this? • How do we encourage SAT registration?
