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Upon reflection, these are the top five things that made an impact on my understanding of developmental reading and writing.
First, the tests used for remedial placement may not be accurate.
Using a cut-off score places many students in remedial classes who may not belong.
Some colleges are now beginning to use portfolios, self-assessment, and self-directed placement.
Second, developmental students face barriers other than academic ones:
the ability to redefine who you are based on what you learn,
the sense of the power to learn new things,
and economic instability.
Third, there are several strategies that help developmental students.
Teach students how to find meaning in their reading.
Use text from college-level classes.
Place less emphasis on skills and more on applying content within a discipline
And, connect reading and writing to existing knowledge.
Fourth, the grammar skills are over emphasized
Multiple studies show that that formal grammar instruction has no beneficial effect on writing performance.
And what was perhaps the most eye-opening discovery for me,
extensive marking of student papers does not lead to "the elimination of error."
Finally, several reforms are showing great promise.
Mainstreaming allows students to co-enroll in developmental and college-level course work.
Modularization customizes and personalizes the content so students do not spend time working on skills they already have.
Learning communities create cohort groups that provide support and accountability.
As a result of what I've learned in this course, I hope to improve my teaching strategies in the Composition I and II courses I teach.