College Preparatory Reading and Composition Skills for Students of English as an Additional Language

Student achievement will be assessed using the mastery system in accordance with College policy. Evaluation will be based on CLB and instructor specified criteria. Mastery will be granted to students who achieve an average of 70% on the following portfolio items for both reading and writing.  For final evaluation at the end of term, student portfolios will contain at least six reading tasks and six writing tasks; some tasks may be a combination of both skills.

Evaluation will include, but may not be limited to, the following tasks.

Reading

Read and understand at least 2 academic texts (each 5+ pages in length) such as textbook excerpts, essays, articles or research reports to identify the organization, structure, development of ideas. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Identify the main idea and describe how it is developed and supported.
• Identify specific details, facts, concepts and ideas.
• Reorganize the text components into a chart or other visual display that clearly shows how they are developed through the supporting details.
• Identify organization of text, topic sentences, logical relationship connections between paragraphs and thematic patterns.
• Evaluate ideas in text, draw conclusions, and express own opinion.

Read and understand at least one complex written communication that conveys a general opinion or point or view such as an editorial, letter to the editor, personal essay or critique.  to identify purpose, main ideas, author’s intent, mood, attitude and point of view from stated and implied information. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Identify the author's point of view.
• Identify the mood and attitude.
• Identify the purpose, intent and bias of the text and/or its parts.
• Draw inferences about the author's implied meanings in different sections of the text.
• Identify context and situation.
• Identify register, style and language variety.

Read and understand at least one complex instructional/policy text (no limit on length) such as college application/registration/ transfer procedures, plagiarism policy or grade appeal policy documents. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Locate and integrate several pieces of information in texts to explain and follow instructions accurately.
• Paraphrase instructions accurately

Read and understand at least one informational text such as a public report, a college/university program description or a college/university health care benefits brochure to make an informed decision. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Locate and integrate several pieces of stated and implied information.
• Read analytically to find and interpret detailed information, including fine print.
• Compare information to make an informed decision.

Readand understand at least one complex formatted text such as a graph, chart or diagram. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Present, in an alternative form, information contained in the text.
• Use text features (e.g. embedded tables) to locate information.

Select appropriate information from at least three online sources to use as evidence in a multi-paragraph research essay. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Access information involving a complex electronic or traditional library search.
• Use effective and reliable search strategies.
• Analyze and evaluate usefulness, appropriateness, relevance, and validity of sources.

Writing

Write at least two multi-paragraph essays (one incorporating evidence from sources) (up to about 1500 words) to relate events from the past, describe and compare complex ideas, phenomena, or processes, or express and analyze opinions. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Address the purpose of the task with an appropriate sense of audience.
• Convey main ideas and support them with sufficient detail; convey detailed descriptions.
• Present text as a coherent whole, with all the parts required by the genre.
• Use discourse patterns and structures, such as definition, classification, exemplification, cause and effect, argumentation, etc.
• Use an effective range of connective words and phrases.

Write at least one summary/analysis of an academic text such as an opinion essay or academic journal article. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Address the purpose of the task with an appropriate sense of audience.
• Convey main ideas and support them with sufficient detail; convey detailed descriptions.
• Present text as a coherent whole, with all the parts required by the genre.
• Use discourse patterns and structures, such as definition, classification, exemplification, cause and effect, argumentation, etc.
• Use an effective range of connective words and phrases.

Write at least one summary of either notes taken from a lecture or textbook excerpt, or a compilation of multiple sources on one topic or point of view. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Convey all essential information
• Reduce information to main points with accurate supporting details, with no major factual omissions or errors.
• Present information with only minor errors in grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and document layout or format.

Write at least one short report/proposal/piece of formal correspondence (4+ paragraphs) to make or respond to a request for information, to make a suggestion, recommendation, request or to give an update. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Convey main ideas clearly and provide sufficient detail.
• Convey the message with adequate sense of audience, formality and genre.
• Convey intended tone.
• Use language, format and content appropriate to occasion and relationship to audience.
• Include a good range of concrete, abstract and idiomatic language suited to context and purpose, which may include some genre-specific expressions or jargon and cultural references.

Write at least one semi-formal or formal piece of personal correspondence (4+ paragraphs) such as writing a letter/email to an instructor requesting an extension for an assignment, a personal reference for a job application, or a rescheduling of a meeting. Assessment criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability to:

• Convey the message with an appropriate sense of audience, formality and genre.
• Write with consideration for the needs and feelings of the audience.
• Convey intended tone.
• Use language, format and content appropriate to occasion, intent and social context.

Students may also be required to complete quizzes, both skill-based and content-based.

Classroom Skills

Complete at least one self-assessment of learning strategies, progress, and classroom skills to be discussed with the instructor.