Supporting the Supporting the development of academic development of academic

literacy in first year literacy in first year Education and Early Education and Early Childhood Studies Childhood Studies

studentsstudents

Amanda FrenchAmanda French

Karen Clarke Karen Clarke

Wolverhampton UniversityWolverhampton University

Background to project Background to project

• This paper draws on a project which is part of This paper draws on a project which is part of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Wolverhampton University. Learning (CETL) at Wolverhampton University.

• The project runs for five years. In this first The project runs for five years. In this first stage it examines the writing skills of our first stage it examines the writing skills of our first year cohort in the School of Education. year cohort in the School of Education.

• The next stage will explore ways of The next stage will explore ways of embedding writing skills development for first embedding writing skills development for first year students year students

• Central to the project is the belief that Central to the project is the belief that the development of academic literacy the development of academic literacy requires university lecturers to teach requires university lecturers to teach specific writing skills and to recognise specific writing skills and to recognise that these skills are as important to that these skills are as important to students’ achievement as the students’ achievement as the acquisition of subject specific content acquisition of subject specific content (Ivanic 1998; Street 1995, 1996).(Ivanic 1998; Street 1995, 1996).

Research questionsResearch questions

• What writing skills do first year students What writing skills do first year students need to develop in their first year ?need to develop in their first year ?

• What strategies do students use to What strategies do students use to develop their writing skills?develop their writing skills?

• To what extent can tutors use writing To what extent can tutors use writing activities in their subject-specific activities in their subject-specific modules to support the development of modules to support the development of academic writing skills for students?academic writing skills for students?

• The paper takes as its starting point the The paper takes as its starting point the idea that academic literacy can be idea that academic literacy can be characterised through the use of certain characterised through the use of certain privileged discourse conventions. privileged discourse conventions.

• These, it can be argued, function to These, it can be argued, function to distinguish and legitimise writing produced distinguish and legitimise writing produced within higher education from other kinds within higher education from other kinds of writing. (Goodman, Lillis, Maybin, of writing. (Goodman, Lillis, Maybin, Mercer, 2003). Mercer, 2003).

Markers for academic Markers for academic literacy literacy • The creation of an authoritative and distinct academic "voice" The creation of an authoritative and distinct academic "voice"

(primarily through referencing other research) (primarily through referencing other research)

• Inclusion of a clearly identifiable aims for the writing ( usually Inclusion of a clearly identifiable aims for the writing ( usually identified though assessment criteria) identified though assessment criteria)

• Conformity to a logical and coherent pattern of organisationConformity to a logical and coherent pattern of organisation

• Evenness of tone and diction appropriate to the academic writing Evenness of tone and diction appropriate to the academic writing exercise ( through use of the passive voice and formal English) exercise ( through use of the passive voice and formal English)

• Application of sentence boundaries, an understanding of the Application of sentence boundaries, an understanding of the rules governing apostrophes, commas, and other less commonly rules governing apostrophes, commas, and other less commonly used forms of punctuation (if used) used forms of punctuation (if used)

Academic literacy and Academic literacy and assessment assessment

The importance of producing an appropriateThe importance of producing an appropriate

form of academic literacy is reflected in form of academic literacy is reflected in

most assessment criteria for higher most assessment criteria for higher

education. Wolverhampton is no exception. education. Wolverhampton is no exception.

The generic assessment criteria for year The generic assessment criteria for year

one includes the following statements: one includes the following statements:

Generic assessment criteria Generic assessment criteria

• The work is coherent - there is good The work is coherent - there is good linking of ideas & paragraphs. linking of ideas & paragraphs. ( higher grades) ( higher grades)

• Grammar and spelling sound( middle Grammar and spelling sound( middle grades) grades)

• Poor English, poor structure ( Poor English, poor structure ( lower/fail grades) lower/fail grades)

Stage One – initial diagnosisStage One – initial diagnosis

• Within the first four weeks of attending Within the first four weeks of attending university all students taking core modules university all students taking core modules were asked to read a subject specific were asked to read a subject specific article. article.

• They were then given a number of They were then given a number of questions on the article which they had to questions on the article which they had to answer under controlled conditions. answer under controlled conditions.

• These samples of writing were then These samples of writing were then analysed for the following errors: analysed for the following errors:

Common errorsCommon errors

• Lack of clarity /poor expression Lack of clarity /poor expression • Inappropriate/poor use of vocabulary Inappropriate/poor use of vocabulary • Missing/misplaced apostrophes Missing/misplaced apostrophes • Missing/misplaced commas Missing/misplaced commas • Missing/misplaced capitalsMissing/misplaced capitals• Sentence structure Sentence structure • Unnecessary shift in tenseUnnecessary shift in tense• Unnecessary shift in pronoun Unnecessary shift in pronoun • Its/it’s confusion Its/it’s confusion • There/theirThere/their• Use of abbreviationsUse of abbreviations

Lack of clarity /poor Lack of clarity /poor expression expression

This resulted more often than not from This resulted more often than not from students having problems in several students having problems in several of the categories. ( This may mean of the categories. ( This may mean that in future we should not include that in future we should not include it as a separate category.)it as a separate category.)

Missing/misplacedMissing/misplaced apostrophes- apostrophes-

This was the most common problem in This was the most common problem in otherwise correct samples of writingotherwise correct samples of writing

Missing/misplaced commas Missing/misplaced commas This included using commas instead of full-This included using commas instead of full-

stops and general inappropriate use as well stops and general inappropriate use as well as not using them at all in the appropriate as not using them at all in the appropriate place.place.

Missing/misplaced capitalsMissing/misplaced capitals

This included not using capitals for This included not using capitals for proper nouns but also using them proper nouns but also using them unnecessarily for important words unnecessarily for important words e.g. ‘education’ and ‘theoretical’e.g. ‘education’ and ‘theoretical’

Unnecessary shift in Unnecessary shift in pronoun pronoun

This included the inappropriate use This included the inappropriate use of ‘you’ but more commonly covered of ‘you’ but more commonly covered a shift in the writing from first to a shift in the writing from first to third person narrative form (and third person narrative form (and often back again several times). often back again several times).

Use of abbreviationsUse of abbreviations

• This issue may have arisen because This issue may have arisen because students were writing under pressure students were writing under pressure but I have noticed it a lot when but I have noticed it a lot when marking students work so feel that it marking students work so feel that it is something a lot of them are not is something a lot of them are not sure about sure about

Sentence structure issues Sentence structure issues

• This section includes the following This section includes the following errors:errors:

• Long sentences Long sentences

• Fragments Fragments

• Using note form – often hyphenating Using note form – often hyphenating instead of punctuating correctly instead of punctuating correctly

• Using conversational style Using conversational style

Analysis of initial diagnosis Analysis of initial diagnosis datadata

• 149 first year students participated in 149 first year students participated in the initial writing sample which was the initial writing sample which was used to diagnose common errorsused to diagnose common errors

• Simple feedback criteria went to Simple feedback criteria went to students which indicated the common students which indicated the common errors that they had made and put errors that they had made and put them into the following categories :them into the following categories :

• 32 students went into the 32 students went into the ‘generally ‘generally sound’sound’ column – this meant there were column – this meant there were very few errors in the initial piece of very few errors in the initial piece of writing. (The most common error in this writing. (The most common error in this category was misuse of /or missing category was misuse of /or missing apostrophes). This group included 2 apostrophes). This group included 2 Dutch students and at least 2 second Dutch students and at least 2 second year part-time students that I could year part-time students that I could identify. identify.

• 20 students went into the 20 students went into the ‘should seek ‘should seek support from the Learning Centre before support from the Learning Centre before handing work inhanding work in’ column– this means there ’ column– this means there was a significant technical error rate was a significant technical error rate frequently impeding understanding. Of this frequently impeding understanding. Of this group 4 were identified as having EAL, 2 as group 4 were identified as having EAL, 2 as Creole transfer and 2 as self-identified Creole transfer and 2 as self-identified dyslexic, there may, however, be more dyslexic, there may, however, be more students with one or more of these literacy students with one or more of these literacy difficulties.difficulties.

97 went into the middle category which 97 went into the middle category which indicated that students indicated that students should ‘ proof should ‘ proof read their work carefully before read their work carefully before handing it in’. handing it in’. At least one self-At least one self-identified dyslexic student and several identified dyslexic student and several EAL students were included here. This EAL students were included here. This category covered students who category covered students who evidenced a range of consistent evidenced a range of consistent technical errors but whose work was technical errors but whose work was not difficult to read. not difficult to read.

The categories for the initial diagnosis were cross referenced The categories for the initial diagnosis were cross referenced against a sample of students taken from a core module against a sample of students taken from a core module that employed a seen exam as its final summative that employed a seen exam as its final summative assignment. assignment.

The conditions for the production writing for the summative The conditions for the production writing for the summative was therefore the same as that for the initial diagnosis. was therefore the same as that for the initial diagnosis.

This was to see if there was any similarity between the This was to see if there was any similarity between the students’ initial diagnosis category and their final students’ initial diagnosis category and their final summative mark. summative mark.

At its crudest this might translate as a poor initial diagnosis At its crudest this might translate as a poor initial diagnosis and low final summative mark or vice-versa and low final summative mark or vice-versa

• The sample showed that those The sample showed that those students who achieved a low initial students who achieved a low initial diagnosis usually achieved a final diagnosis usually achieved a final summative mark below C8. summative mark below C8.

• This was below average for the This was below average for the module as a whole ( which was C8).module as a whole ( which was C8).

• Those students who achieved a high Those students who achieved a high assessment for their initial diagnosis assessment for their initial diagnosis generally got a higher grade of B11 generally got a higher grade of B11 or above for their final summative. or above for their final summative.

• This was above the average for the This was above the average for the module as a whole.module as a whole.

• Those students who achieved a medium Those students who achieved a medium initial diagnosis had a wider span of final initial diagnosis had a wider span of final summative marks ranging from the low Ds up summative marks ranging from the low Ds up to the top C grades.to the top C grades.

• However no student in medium range of However no student in medium range of diagnostic assessment achieved higher than diagnostic assessment achieved higher than C10. C10.

• The wide range of summative marks in this The wide range of summative marks in this category was not surprising as these category was not surprising as these students had the greatest variation of students had the greatest variation of technical errors. technical errors.

Conclusions Conclusions

• The initial diagnostic results were broadly The initial diagnostic results were broadly in line with the final summative marks. in line with the final summative marks.

• Students do not, therefore, appear to have Students do not, therefore, appear to have significantly improved their academic significantly improved their academic writing skills over the course of the year? writing skills over the course of the year?

• This lack of progress was especially This lack of progress was especially marked for those students who did badly marked for those students who did badly in the initial diagnosis. in the initial diagnosis.

Outcomes Outcomes

• We need to identify students who We need to identify students who need support with their writing as need support with their writing as early as possible on the module. early as possible on the module.

• We need to offer lots of non-assessed We need to offer lots of non-assessed opportunities for writing on modules opportunities for writing on modules

• We need to incorporate overt and We need to incorporate overt and embedded discussion and embedded discussion and development of writing skills into development of writing skills into modules modules

Next Stage Next Stage

• The next stage of the project is to introduce The next stage of the project is to introduce a number of interventions designed to a number of interventions designed to develop first years’ writing skills develop first years’ writing skills

• These have been developed collaboratively These have been developed collaboratively with all the core module tutors and with all the core module tutors and delivered across the programmedelivered across the programme

• The usefulness of these interventions for The usefulness of these interventions for tutors and students will be monitored and tutors and students will be monitored and evaluated evaluated

ReferencesReferences

• Goodman, S. Lillis, T. Maybin, J. Mercer, N. (eds.) (2003) Goodman, S. Lillis, T. Maybin, J. Mercer, N. (eds.) (2003) Language, Literacy and Education: A readerLanguage, Literacy and Education: A reader. Trentham . Trentham Books: The Open University Press.Books: The Open University Press.

• Ivanic. R. (1998) Ivanic. R. (1998) Writing and Identity: the discoursal Writing and Identity: the discoursal construction of identity in academic writing. construction of identity in academic writing. Amsterdam: Amsterdam: John Benjamins.John Benjamins.

• Street, B. (1995) SocialStreet, B. (1995) Social Literacies: critical approaches to Literacies: critical approaches to literacy in development, ethnography and educationliteracy in development, ethnography and education. . London: Longman.London: Longman.

• Street, B. (1996) ‘Academic Literacies’, Street, B. (1996) ‘Academic Literacies’, in in Baker, J. Clay, C. Baker, J. Clay, C. and Fox, C. (eds.) and Fox, C. (eds.) Challenging Ways of Knowing in English, Challenging Ways of Knowing in English, Mathematics and Science.Mathematics and Science. London: Falmer Press. London: Falmer Press.