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ESL 084Advanced Reading for Psychology LESSONS LEARNED FROM A LEARNING COMMUNITY
Derek McConnell, ESL Professor at Union County College since 2000
Teaching ESL 084, since 2008
ESL 084 – RationaleLinked Classes/Learning Communities “The theory behind learning communities is that they give students a chance to form stronger relationships with each other and their instructors, engage more deeply with the integrated content of the courses, and access extra support, making it more likely they’ll pass their courses, persist from semester to semester, and graduate with a credential.” (MDRC, 2012)
ESL 084 – Explanation
L3 Writing L4 Writing L5 Writing
L5 Reading
L6 Writing
L6 Read 082
Any CollegeCredit Courses(PSY 101, etc.)L4 ReadingL3 Reading
L6 Read 084
PSY 101
The typical ESL path
The linked path
Other linked courses at UCC ESL Reading / Biology 102 ESL Reading / Business 101 ENG 111 / UCC 101 ENG 111 / LIS 105
ESL O84
ESL 084
082ESL Level 6 Reading Texts
084 Other texts? PSY 101 text
ESL 084 – My choice: Blink -Non fiction
-Psychology related, lots of experiments
-a variety of topics
-Written in an accessible, popular style
-Good practice for key terms, main ideas
-Lots of potential for related activities
084 techniques: Notetaking
ESL 084 techniquesexperiential learning
ESL 084 techniques: The Big 5 test
ESL 084 techniques: The Big 5 test
Journal #1: (1-2 pages)
Report on the results of the Big Five Inventory. Respond to the results that you disagree or agree with. Explain why you agree or disagree by commenting on your own personality traits in the “Big Five” areas.
ESL 084 Techniques:
Blink Ch 2. Scrambled Sentence Test
Example of psychological concept: “priming”
ESL 084 Techniques Race IAT (Implicit Association Test)
Journal #3 (1-2 pages), for next week, respond to the following:
What were your results when you took the Race IAT?
What was your reaction to the experience of taking the test and the results?
Explain what the test is supposed to show us. How does it work?
ESL 084 Techniques Blink Chapter 6. The Amadou Diallo Shooting
Read Jury Instructions for NY State re: homicide, manslaughter, etc.
You are a jury member:
Are the officers who shot Diallo guilty of any crime. If so, which one? Use text from the jury instructions to support what you are saying.
ESL 084 - Techniques Psychology Group Research Project
ASSIGNMENT: Design and perform your own psychology experiment based on one of the many psychology experiments discussed in Blink.
Write a Research Report of your findings. You will share with the class.
Observation: (something you have observed or wondered about that relates to an experiment or idea in Blink. Explain the related experiment in Blink.)
Propose a Hypothesis:
Plan of Action:
Your Research Report includes
Introduction:
Method:
Results:
Discussion:
That was fun, but…
I switched to their PSY 101 text because
-my job is to support them in PSY 101
-they have trouble with the text
-they mostly weren’t reading the text
-they had to buy the text anyway $$$$
-I was tired of Blink
-I was ready for the textbook
-ESL Prof. Lynn Meng uses Practicing College Learning Strategies for ESL 084
ESL 084, 2.0Support Techniques
BUILDING COMMUNITY AND MUTUAL SUPPORT
ESL 084, 2.0 Support Techniques
STUDY SKILLS:
Time Management- make a master schedule Discuss their study habits. Begin Intro Chapter about Study Skills. Model note taking.
They read and take notes for HW.
Image of Master Schedule
ESL 084, 2.0Support Techniques
STUDY SKILLS/NOTETAKING -Pronunciation of key words -Discussion questions in groups
-I check/grade their notes -Quiz after discussion…open notes (at first)
-Assign modules that PSY 101 professor assigned
Example of notes here
ESL 084, 2.0Support Techniques
MY QUIZ QUESTIONS: Explain how Pavlov’s experiment with dogs worked and what it demonstrated.
How did Watson and Raynor condition Little Albert?
Identify and explain the significance of the following term(s):
Skinner’s Box
TYPICAL PSY 101 Questions:
ESL 084, 2.0Support Techniques
STUDY SKILLS/NOTETAKING Model a variety of notetaking strategies.◦ -outline form
◦ Key terms, main ideas, paraphrasing,abbreviations, pictures
◦ “questions in the margins”◦ highlight/writing in the text◦ Writing on paper
Example of notes here
ESL 084, 2.0Support Techniques
STUDY SKILLS/NOTETAKING Model a variety of notetaking strategies.
◦ Questions in the marginsread, highlight main idea, write a
question about main idea
Example of notes here
ESL 084Techniques, 2.0
PRESENTATION SKILLS -In pairs, students have to present a module of their choice from the textbook using Power Point.
-In one class, they do a mini-presentation in one topic from reading.
-Next class, students make a practice Presentation in groups of 3 to teach each other Power Point.
Example of notes here
ESL 084 Techniques 2.0
SUMMARIZING: -PSY 101 professor assigns 5 Reaction Papers: (Summarize, Analyze, React to an article of their choosing)
-I work on Summarizing with articles. Help with citing, searching, APA format, analyzing, reacting in class.
Image of Master Schedule
John Wooden’s 8 laws of Teaching: “Explanation, demonstration, imitation, correction, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition.”
ESL 084Positive Results
Fall 2013 (40 students)
PSY 101 Avg GPA: 2.9
(only 2 “F”s)
Retention:◦ 1 semester: 82.5%◦ 1 year: 72.5%◦ 1.5 years: 70%
GPA of Continuing Students (12+ credits): 3.1
Spring 2014 (25 students)
PSY 101 Avg. GPA: 3.3
(no “F”s)
Retention:1 semester: 80%1 year: 72%
GPA of Continuing Students:(6+ credits): 3.1
ESL 084 Results“How do the ESL students do compared to your other sections? Do you treat them differently?”
“About the same”
ESL 084Positive Results
The ESL 084 reading support course helped me to more understand my PSY 101 course because this class teach me
how to read and taking note, learn about the material. Now I can read a text,
summarizing, and put it on my own word, which it was hard to do before.
ESL 084Positive Results
ESL has been helping in my vocabulary which it take in another level
academically. Moreover, I can speak and understand better in my major studies.
ESL 084Positive Results
This course helped me succeed in PSY 101 by learning how to take good notes by paraphrasing difficult topics in your own words. It really helps. I learned
better Modules for which I took notes.
ESL 084Positive Results
…he show us how to do well not only in the subject, but in
colleges
ESL 084 is helping me to read the
Psychology book, because it not that easy to read and
understand it. It helps because we already discussed what we going to
worked on in Psychology 101.
Linking ESL & Content Courses CHALLENGES
-Coordinating with other (adjunct) professors -Support group can turn into a gripe group -Playing second fiddle…not as fun to be the “support” guy -not wanting to overwork students who still have glaring ESL needs…
Linking ESL & Content Courses
RECOMMENDATIONS: -Use committed professors who can communicate and adapt on the fly
-Solicit feedback to assess student needs.
-Don’t relax standards too much
-Keep developing linked ESL courses, but maintain ESL only track.
