Reading Competencies: Reading Competencies: Practices & IssuesPractices & Issues

Barbara Illowsky, De Anza Collegeillowskybarbara@deanza.eduDianne McKay, Mission College

dianne_mckay@wvm.eduRichard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Santa Monica CollegeTahvildaran_Richard@smc.edu

Resolution 9.08, Spring Resolution 9.08, Spring 20062006

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges research current practices and the need for reading competency systemwide to develop a position paper on this topic.

Outcomes:Outcomes:At the end of this session, we At the end of this session, we will: will: know each otherunderstand various current

practices across the stategrasp the issues involved in

instituting a reading requirementhave developed survey questions

Agenda:Agenda:Introductory Questions (15 minutes)Mission College Practices (10

minutes)Santa Monica College Practices (10

minutes)Issues discussion (15 minutes)Issues report out (5 minutes)Survey questions – develop (15

minutes)Wrap up (5 minutes)

Introductory Questions Introductory Questions What is your interest in attending

this session?Does your college currently have a

Reading Competency requirement for the associate degree?

Is your college thinking of adding a Reading Competency requirement for the associate degree?

Mission College PracticesMission College PracticesReading at Mission College is a

separate department from English with its own courses.

Mission has a reading competency for graduation which can be achieved through either course work or proficiency testing.

Mission College PracticesMission College PracticesReading has a 3 course sequence

to achieve the graduation competency:◦READ 960: Reading Fundamentals:

Instruction in word attack, vocabulary development and comprehension.

◦READ 961: Effective Reading: For students to correct or improve reading habits and skills including expanding vocabulary, improving comprehension and attaining an efficient reading rate.

Mission College PracticesMission College Practices◦READ 053: Speed and Critical

Reading: (transferable to CSU) Enables students to reach their optimal reading speeds and to improve comprehension of collegiate and technical materials. Completion of this course with a grade of

“C” or better meets the graduation competency requirement.

Mission College PracticesMission College PracticesMission uses the Comprehensive

Test of English Placement (Reading Comprehension) Test for placement with the following cut scores:◦6 – 12 correct: READ 960◦13 – 19 correct: READ 961 (also ESL

970)◦20 – 26 correct: READ 053◦27 – 35 correct: Reading Proficiency.

Meets graduation requirement.

Santa Monica College Santa Monica College Practices Practices Reading at SMC is embedded within

a series of English course offerings.SMC measures a student’s reading

competency for graduation by her successful completion of English 1 (Reading & Compositions) paired with English 48 (Critical Study Reading, Speed Reading & Vocabulary)

Santa Monica College Santa Monica College Practices Practices student access to an online

Reading Labsequence of courses aimed at

Reading Competencycourses are grouped as Levels C, B,

& Aplacement in a particular writing &

reading class is based on the results of his/her English assessment

Santa Monica College Santa Monica College Practices Practices SMC Reading Lab:

http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/

Issues discussion Issues discussion What would be or were issues on

your campus for instituting a reading competency requirement?

Break into groups

Issues report out Issues report out Pressure to eliminate reading

competencyFaulty placement toolsNeed tailored of curriculum for a

variety of levels of students (rubrics)Political issues/$$Lack of qualified Reading Specialists

(esp. for adults)Students’ unrealistic time frames for

getting up to transfer level

(continued)(continued)Prereqs. tend to lower class sizeWhat classes to cancelStudent flight awayAttitudes regarding professional

responsibility – ALL faculty teachingComfort level with status quoMay inhibit open accessMission statement (not compatible)

Survey questions:Survey questions:Does your college have a Reading

Competency graduation requirement?Yes, subsumed in English writing course No

Yes, separate from English writing course Not sure

If yes, what is the requirement?Reading Course Reading Placement/Proficiency

TestWriting Course Writing Placement/Proficiency Test Other (describe)

Report out of survey Report out of survey questions:questions:Is reading a requirement at the

transfer level or developmental level?

Do you have a Reading Across the Curric. Program? For transfer or for dev. Ed only? Are the courses taught by faculty or IA’s?

How many faculty teaching Reading have a reading specialty training?

(Continued)(Continued)How does the college comply

with Title 5 requirements about Reading? How do you measure it?

Do you ADVISE or PLACE students?

Do you have a time by which they must take the class?

Do you have a reading test for matriculation?

(Continued)(Continued)How many reading/Eng levels do

you have below English 1A?Do you have reading pre-reqs for

GE courses?

(Continued)(Continued)Does your college have an AA

Reading requirement?If yes, how many courses satisfy this

req?What are the courses?Can students test out of the Reading

req?What test do you use?What scores allow students to test

out?

Next StepsNext StepsBasic Skills Committee of ASCCC

will develop a survey.Survey will, hopefully, be sent

out in Spring 2009.Results will be published.

THANK YOU!!!