L2 Literacy and Language Development

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L2 Literacy and Language Development

• What Works (or Doesn't) and Why?
• Dr. Dana Ferris
• University Writing Program
• UC Davis

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The Question What Works?
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Another Question Works for Whom?

• An increasingly complex student audience in
  California
• Changing/differing needs

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George the Pre-Med

• Born in the U.S. to immigrant parents from China
• Moved back to China at 9 mos. Old
• Returned to the U.S. at age six
• Did not learn English until age six
• Speaks Chinese fluently but does not read or
  write it
• No accent or comprehension problems, no major
  ESL issues in his writing
• Junior at UCD, Bio-Sci major
• Took remedial (Subject A) course three times
• Highly motivated

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George the Pre-Med Reflections

• I believe my essay is strong and supportive but
  there is a weakness. The weakness of the essay is
  the lack of a stronger vocabulary, which is
  directly connected to me. I understand that I
  have to improve my vocabulary for the essay to
  have higher diction.

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10 Extensive Reading Programs

• What Works Thoughtfully designed and
  implemented extensive reading components in
  reading/writing courses
• What Doesnt Work Exposing students only to
  short bits of text
• But

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9 Intentional Vocabulary Development

• What Works Thoughtfully designed vocabulary
  instruction
• What Doesnt Ignoring vocabulary and assuming
  it develops by itself
• But

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9 Enlightened Vocabulary Instruction

• Uses research-based word lists to select common
  and useful words for students to study (see
  www.lextutor.ca)
• Encourages student-directed vocabulary learning
  (e.g., cards and logs)
• Teaches strategies for vocabulary analysis and
  learning
• Understands the critical contribution of
  extensive reading

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8 Effective Text Selection

• What Works Exposing students to academic
  texts
• What Doesnt Picking texts just because they
  are fun or engaging
• But

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7 Developing Strategic Readers

• What Works Creating a list of strategic goals
  for a group of students (see next slide)
• What Doesnt Having students just do exercises
• But

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7 Sample List of Goals

• Developing effective text-previewing strategies
• Analyzing unfamiliar vocabulary in context
• Using graphic organizers to outline important
  text content

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6 Innovative Assessment

• What Works Personalized, creative approaches to
  assessing reading and writing
• What Doesnt Rigid, adversarial objective tests
  and make-or-break timed writing exams
• But

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5 Peer Response to Writing

• What Works Carefully designed approaches to
  peer feedback (see next slide)
• What Doesnt Vague or haphazard approaches to
  peer feedback (see slide)
• But

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5 Carefully Designed Peer Feedback

• Training
• Stable, thoughtfully formed groups
• Consistent use
• Carefully structured tasks
• Teacher facilitation and supervision
• Accountability

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5 Vague and Haphazard Peer Feedback

• Is not utilized consistently, so students dont
  develop their skills
• Is loosely structured and unsupervised
• Is not taken seriously as part of the writing
  process

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4 Teacher Feedback

• What Works Thoughtful teacher commentary on
  evolving writing projects
• What Doesnt Rubber-stamped, unclear,
  overwhelming, or overly harsh responses
• But

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3 Grammar Instruction

• What Works Clearly focused minilessons on
  self-editing strategies with direct application
  to students own writing
• What Doesnt Lots of decontextualized grammar
  instruction in a writing class
• But

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3Principles for Effective Grammar Minilessons

• Focuses on issues relevant to writing
• Focuses on teachable and learnable rules
• Based on careful analysis of class needs
• Includes immediate application to students own
  writing

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2 Written Corrective Feedback

• What Works targeted feedback, indirect
  feedback, required revision, tracking progress
• What Doesnt comprehensive direct feedback on
  final drafts, no follow-up
• What Also Doesnt Work Ignoring or neglecting
  error/accuracy issues and hoping they will just
  disappear over time
• But

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ANDdrum roll
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1 Teacher Collaboration

• What Works Collaboration and cooperation
  between ESL teachers and other English/writing
  instructors at their institutions
• What Doesnt Isolation, separation, and having
  chips on our shoulders
• But

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Someone who doesnt get it

• I understand that the needs of an ESL student
  differ from native speakers but the courses, on a
  college- and district-level, are designed for
  certain levels of language fluency that the
  students need to meet. I will provide feedback
  that helps them see how parts of English fit with
  their native language, but the ESL department is
  mainly responsible for those skills.

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What Really Doesnt Work

• Business as Usual

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Retooling

• Understand the new L2 student audiences and
  their needs.
• Understand the way literacy practices have
  changed in general.
• Understand the academic and political climate we
  live and work in.

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Retooling

• Understand the potential and risks of technology.
• Understand the concerns and assumptions of our
  English/writing colleagues and colleagues in
  other disciplines.
• Understand ways we can enter and change the
  conversation about L2 students in our own
  contextsand understand entrenched attitudes and
  biases that may take time to change.