Preparing for College Reading II (PCRII) Students

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preparing for College Reading I Students............................................................... 2

Outcomes Matrix................................................................................................ 3

Outcome #1: Read on a Regular Basis, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s)............... 5

Outcome #2: Apply Reading Strategies, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s).............. 9

Outcome #3: Expand Vocabulary, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s)..................... 16

Outcome #4: Employ Resources, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s)....................... 24

Outcome #5: Use General Knowledge, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s).............. 29

Outcome #6: Strengthen Core Competencies, Sample Assignment(s), and Rubric(s).... 31

Before-During-After-Reading Strategies................................................................. 37

Suggested Reading for PCR I Students………………………………………………………40

Preparing for College Reading I Students

Placement

During orientation students take a computerized placement test (CPT), which determines the reading level and placement into Preparing for College Reading I (score of 45 or below on the CPT), Preparing for College Reading II (score of 46-67 on the CPT), or exempts students (score of 68 or higher on the CPT) from the reading courses. The Board of Higher Education mandates the CPT test and determines the cut-off scores. Retesting is allowed.

Age

Massasoit Community College students tend toward two extremes: recent high school graduates and more mature students returning to college. These two groups often differ with regards to maturity, anxiety and motivation.

Ability

Because Massasoit Community College has an open admissions policy, any student with a high school diploma or GED certificate is accepted. Thus some students with low ability or weak backgrounds enter, but may not achieve success with academic work. PCR I and II make it possible for many at-risk students to succeed.

Motivation

Motivation or desire to learn is one of the most important factors contributing to success in PCR I. Many students who are underachievers in K-12 become achievers after completing PCR I. All professors of these courses must maintain a positive outlook themselves and encourages students to develop confidence as learners.

Learning Disabilities

An additional factor affecting achievement is learning disabilities. Some learning disabled students were in special education throughout their schooling; others were included in regular classrooms. Some students learn the skills in a single course (PCR II) and others require two courses (PCR I and PCR II). Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in the classroom are encouraged to contact the Learning Disability Coordinator, Andrea Henry, at extension 1805, or Disability Counselor, Stan Oliver at extension 1464, as soon as possible, in order to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

English as a Second Language

ESL students vary greatly depending on background and education in their native country, time and education in the USA. The typical sequence for ESL students is College ESL I and II, ESL Reading, and Conversation and Pronunciation. After completing Reading for ESL, students may enter PCR I. It is expected that the ESL sequence will provide the students with the ability to read and discuss standard college materials and write brief essays. Students who complete ESL courses with good grades (B or above) and speak English apart from classes tend to succeed in PCR I. Students with lesser skills may have to repeat PCR I.

Academic Resource Center (ARC)

The ARC and Writing Center are strong allies of students and professors, especially the professors of PCR I. The ARC offers individual tutorial appointments as well as open tutorial hours. The open hours may be used for group assignments, discussions, or make-up work.

OUTCOMES BASED LEARNING MATRIX

Course: Preparing for College Reading I Department: English

Catalog Description: This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to improve their reading comprehension, to increase their vocabulary, and to expand their general knowledge. An additional one-hour lab in the Academic Resource Center may be a required part of the course. NOTE: Credits earned in this course cannot be applied toward graduation.

At the end of the course, At the end of the course, At the end of the course,

students should be able to students and faculty will participate in faculty will evaluate

COURSE OUTCOMES

OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

read on a regular basis with increased comprehension, speed, and confidence;

· sustaining silent reading (R, CT)

· engaging in reading circles (R, CT)

· engaging in class discussions (R, CT, OC)

· reading attitude survey (R,CT,QS)

· oral and written answers to open-ended comprehension questions (R,CT,OC,TS)

· reading journal (R,CT,W,TS)

· reading log (R,CT,W,TS,QT)

apply various reading skills and strategies (previewing, detecting main ideas and related details, summarizing, skimming, scanning, and reviewing) in order to comprehend oral and written material presented in the various college disciplines;

· previewing textbooks, articles and other reading passages (R, CT, TS)

· mapping a reading or lecture to show the relationship between main ideas and supporting details (R, CT, W)

· summarizing a reading (R, CT, W, OC)

· reviewing a textbook chapter or other reading and present to the class (R, CT)

· gaining familiarity with college-level textbooks by skimming (R, CT)

· locating information by scanning (R, CT)

· written or oral assignment demonstrating pre, during, and post reading activities such as SQ3R, mapping, outlining, Venn diagrams, semantic feature analysis, summary etc. (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

use word structures, word meanings, contextual clues, and dictionary skills in order to expand vocabulary and improve reading comprehension;

· developing a familiarity with a dictionary by locating items such as word origin, synonyms, parts of speech, and/or antonyms (R, CT, TS)

· identifying and defining unknown words in a passage using context clues (R, CT, OC)

· identifying and defining unknown words in a passage using word parts (R, CT, OC)

· concept maps (R,CT,W,TS)

· word structure maps (R,CT,W,TS,QS)

· scavenger hunt checklist (R,CT,OC,W,TS)

· quizzes on context clues, dictionary skills, and word structures (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· self and/or peer assessment guides for individual and group activities (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· written evaluation of group discussions (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

employ a variety of the college’s human, print, and electronic resources in order to meet course expectations and meet academic challenges as confident, independent learners;

· touring the library (CT, TS)

· analyzing, evaluate, and recording pertinent research (R, CT, W, TS)

· integrating related information from several sources (R, CT, W)

· making appointment with advisor (OC, CT)

· post-reading end products such as a map or summary (R,CT,OC,W,TS)

· oral presentations such as skits, speeches, panel discussions (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· multi-media scavenger hunt (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· library tour checklist (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

acquire and use general knowledge to enhance comprehension and to promote connections to the world around them;

· analyzing point of view (R, CT)

· assessing consistency of current events reporting from multiple media sources (R, CT, W)

· in groups, reading a newspaper article about a current social problem and develop a practical solution for it (R, CT, OC, W)

· reporting on a current news topic seen on a newsmagazine show such as 60 Minutes, 20/20 or Dateline (CT, W, TS)

· interviewing and reporting on a person who is in a career in which students are interested (CT, OC, W)

· reinforcing, refining, and extending general knowledge with customized trivial pursuit or jeopardy type games (CT, OC)

· oral and written report (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· graphic organizers (R,CT,OC,W,TS,QS)

· oral feedback on groups (CT,OC,W)

· self and/or peer assessment guides for individual and group activities (R,CT,W,TS)

· written evaluations of group discussions (R,CT,OC,W,QS)

strengthen Core Competencies* in order to increase academic and workplace success.

· referenced above

*Core Competencies: Critical Thinking (CT); Technology Skills (TS); Oral Communication (OC); Quantitative Skills (QS); Reading (R); Writing (W)

Outcome #1

At the end of the course, students should be able to read on a regular basis with increased comprehension, speed, and confidence.

Sample Activity:

7-Step Reading Journal

Purpose: To practice reading strategies, develop the habit of reading, increase reading stamina, and improve reading comprehension. The reading journal is designed to allow students to customize and to think more deeply about their reading. The journal will help students to remember what they have read, highlight important moments from the reading, think through the reading and to find their interest in the reading. In order to be successful in this endeavor, students must spend time with their reading. They must be able to remember what they have read and think critically about the reading. Critical reading means students are able to synthesize, evaluate, analyze, apply, interpret, and translate their reading.

Directions:

1. The title of the article, date of publication, publisher, and author of the article.

2. Evidence of previewing: a couple sentences addressing what you think the article is going to be about and what you hope to learn from the article. Look at the title, subtitle, pictures, captions, first sentence of each paragraph etc. What do they suggest?

3. A statement (in 1-2 sentences) of the main idea. Read the selection more than once to determine the main idea. The main idea is the main point, central focus, gist, controlling idea, central thought or thesis of the reading. It is not the topic, but rather it includes the topic.

4. A brief list of the main supporting points. Supporting points develop, prove, and explain the main idea. Supporting evidence may include reasons, incidents, facts, examples, steps and definitions.

5. A one-paragraph summary. Summaries contain no opinion, but do contain the main idea and supporting evidence and are written in your own words. Use complete sentences and paragraphs. After completing the summary, reread it to see if it makes sense.

6. A one-paragraph reaction, analysis, and or/criticism. React, criticize and/or analyze what you have read. Analyses means to break the reading into parts and then reassemble to discover each part’s significance or meaning. Take time to explore the meanings behind a theme, character, symbol, plot, or image. What is significant to you? What is your perspective on what you have read? If you read carefully, and skeptically as with a questioning mind, you cannot help but react to the reading. This level of reading is often emotional (angry, sad, happy) or associative (oh, that reminds me of…). For a journal entry of this type, simply record your emotion and explain what in the text inspired it or write down your association and what in the text inspired that. Criticism is an evaluation of your feelings -- either positive or negative -- about a particular analysis. Feel free to vent your emotions but only after an analysis of a part of the reading that impacts you.

7. Definitions of at least five vocabulary words (you should list all words that you either you don’t know or could not explain well to someone else). You should use context clues, word structure, dictionary skills, and/or decoding skills.

Rubric:

Excellent

All seven steps are complete.

The main idea and supporting evidence are correct.

The summary is thorough, well written, and is written in the students own words.

Reaction is thoughtful and contains evidence of critical reading.

Satisfactory

All seven steps are complete.

The main idea and supporting evidence are essentially correct.

The summary is essentially correct but is not entirely stated in the student’s own words.

Reaction is thoughtful and contains some evidence of critical reading.

Unsatisfactory

All seven steps are not complete.

The main idea and supporting evidence are not correct.

The summary does not follow the rules of summary writing: e.g., in your own words, contains most important information.

Reaction is too brief, superficial, and does not contain evidence of critical reading.

Sample Activity:

Outside Reading Journal

Purpose: To practice reading strategies, develop the habit of reading, increase reading stamina, and improve reading comprehension. The reading journal is designed to allow students to customize and to think more deeply about their reading. The journal will help students to remember what they have read, highlight important moments from the reading, think through the reading and to develop an interest in the reading. In order to be successful in this endeavor, students must spend time with their reading. They must be able to remember what they have read and think critically about the reading. Critical reading means students able to synthesize, evaluate, analyze, apply, interpret, and translate your reading. See attached sheet for more information.

Directions:

On your sheet:

State the name and the author of the book you are reading.

2. Every time you read write down the date, number of pages read, and the amount of time you spent reading: e.g. 11/27/01, 10 minutes, 6 pages.

3. At the end of the week, total the number of pages you have read. You should be reading a minimum of 30 pages a week.

4. Write a summary of what you read. Your summary should include major events and characters. Summaries do not contain opinion and should be written in complete sentences. Reread you summary to make sure it makes sense.

5. Respond to what you have read. You may respond in a variety of ways but do not simply summarize what you have read. You may tell why you liked the reading or why you didn’t like it. You can tell what you are learning about the characters in the novel. You can make a connection between this section of the reading and something else that you noticed in the novel. You may make predictions based on the ideas in the selection. You may ask questions about parts that you don’t understand or about why characters are acting in a certain way. You can tell how the passage made you feel. Or you may relate a story in your life that is similar to something from that section. Remember: comment, predict, relate, question, but don’t summarize.

Good ways to begin your response are

I think This passage is I remember I agree

I like This seems This passage reminds me

I don’t like I guess I don’t understand I don’t agree

I wonder This shows that I am surprised I predict

Rubric:

Excellent

All parts of reading log are complete.

A minimum of 30 pages read every week.

Log is turned in on time.

The summary is thorough, well written, and is written in the students own words.

Reaction is thoughtful and contains evidence of critical reading.

Satisfactory

All parts of reading log are complete.

A minimum of 30 pages is read every week.

Log is turned in on time.

The summary is essentially correct but is not entirely stated in the student’s own words.

Reaction is thoughtful and contains some evidence of critical reading.

Unsatisfactory

All parts of reading log are not complete.

Fewer than 30 pages have been read.

Log is not turned in on time.

The summary does not follow the rules of summary writing: e.g. in your own words and contains most important information.

Reaction is too brief, superficial, and does not contain evidence of critical reading.

Outcome #2

At the end of the course, students should be able to apply various reading skills and strategies (previewing, detecting main ideas and related details, summarizing, note taking, outlining, skimming, scanning, and reviewing) in order to comprehend oral and written material presented in the various college disciplines.

Sample Activity:

Chapter Notes Student and Instructor Assessment Sheet

1. The notes are understandable and may be used as a study guide.