LA HARBOR COLLEGE

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) Assessment Report

Course Assessment

Division: Communications Discipline/Program: Developmental Communications

Course Number and Name: DEV COM 076 English as a Second Language Reading-Conversation II

Program Contact Person: Shazia Khan Phone: (310) 233-4242

Reviewed by: Joachin Arias, Ph.D. (SLO Coordinator) Date: December 2014

Attach additional pages as necessary.

Institutional Learning Outcomes / Course Intended Outcomes / Means of Assessment and Criteria for Success / Summary of Data Collected / Use of Results
1 / 1.  Demonstrate literal and inferential reading ability of advanced pre-collegiate text. / Students will be given a final exam on written material with questions reflecting comprehension at the literal and inferential levels.
On December 17, 2014, fourteen students enrolled in Dev Com 076 were given a final exam which measured SLO #1. The assessment consisted of a poem called “Okasan/Mother” by Sakae S. Roberson. The exam contained ten literal level questions and three inferential level questions. The questions for each reading ability are below.
Criteria for Success: 75% of students will earn a score of 70% or higher. / Sample Size: 14
Number and percentage of students scoring 70% or higher:
14 = 100% / Since the SLO was met with 100% success, faculty will remain consistent with instruction and also research further methods.
1 / 2.  Identify meanings of vocabulary words through context. / Students will take an exam which will include questions on identifying meanings using context clues.
Criteria: 75% of students will earn a score of 70% or better.
1 / 3.  Summarize various modes of pre-collegiate level reading with logically constructed and well-supported ideas that exhibit a critical analysis of those readings. / Students will write a summary of a current event using different news articles.
Criteria for Success: Students will improve their ability to write a summary by 50% during the course of the semester according to a department-approved rubric.
1 / 4.  Produce simple sentences that are relatively free from grammatical errors and which display standard academic language / Students will be given an in-class pre and post-writing assessment in which they will construct at least five sentences.
At the beginning of the fall 2014 semester, 14 students completed a journal #1 assignment in which they responded to the prompt, “What does your name mean? Were you named after anyone? Do you have a nickname? If so, how did you get it?”
Then at the end of the fall 2014 semester 14 students completed a final journal (#24) in which they responded to the prompt, “From the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, choose a theme, or lesson that you learned, and define how it relates to the book. This can be the lesson you learned or the moral of the story. Next, give a reaction to the theme. Begin by stating whether you agree or disagree. State a similar experience from your own life that supports the author’s philosophy or differs from the author’s philosophy showing that you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view. Give plenty of specific supporting details. (8-10 sentences)”
Criteria for Success: 75% of students will improve by one point or better on the posttest according to a department rubric. / Sample Size: 14
Number and percentage of students who made at least one point improvement:
7 = 50%
While half of the students in this course made an improvement by one point, all students maintained a posttest score of 2 or 3 which are above average and excellent. / Since all students maintained an above average or excellent score, continuous assessment will be done and strategies and materials will be researched to further improve upon instruction in this area.
1 / 5.  Pronounce and enunciate words of standard American English / Students will work together in a conversation group and be observed by the instructor.
Criteria for Success: 75% of students will pronounce and enunciate words of standard American English at a score of 70% or higher according to a department rubric.

Dev Com 076 SLO Report

Fall 2014

SLO #1: students will demonstrate literal and inferential reading ability of advanced pre-collegiate text.

Assessment: On December 17, 2014, fourteen students enrolled in Dev Com 076 were given a final exam which measured SLO #1. The assessment consisted of a poem called “Okasan/Mother” by Sakae S. Roberson. The exam contained ten literal level questions and three inferential level questions.

Literal Level Questions

Mark A for true and B for false.

1.  Okasan/Mother has lived in America for twenty-five years.

2.  She wishes that her daughter were more interested in Japanese culture.

3.  She is sewing a wedding dress for her daughter.

4.  She celebrated Christmas (even though the holiday is not part of the traditional religion in Japan).

5.  She and her daughter have a close relationship.

6.  Americans sometimes mistake Okasan/Mother for Chinese.

7.  She hopes her daughter will have a baby.

8.  She sews dresses for a living.

9.  Americans have treated her with respect.

10.  She is proud to live in America.

Inferential Level Questions

11.  Compare and contrast the adjustment to a new culture by Okasan/Mother with either, Vasantha in “The Nowhere Man,” or Dr. Quansah’s wife in “The Rain Child.”

12.  Compare and contrast the mother daughter relationship in the reading from “The Joy Luck Club” with relationship described in “Okasan/Mother.”

13.  Do you think that it’s important to adapt to the new culture when you live in a foreign country? Give an example to support your opinion.

Criteria for Success: 75% of students will earn a score of 70% or better.

Summary of Data Collected:

Sample Size / Number & Percentage of Scores > 70%
14 / 14 = 100%

Use of Results:

Since the SLO was met with 100% success, faculty will remain consistent with instruction and also research further methods.

SLO #4: students will produce simple sentences that are relatively free from grammatical errors and which display standard academic language.

Assessment: At the beginning of the fall 2014 semester, 14 students completed a journal #1 assignment in which they responded to the prompt, “What does your name mean? Were you named after anyone? Do you have a nickname? If so, how did you get it?” Then at the end of the fall 2014 semester 14 students completed a final journal (#24) in which they responded to the prompt, “From the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, choose a theme, or lesson that you learned, and define how it relates to the book. This can be the lesson you learned or the moral of the story. Next, give a reaction to the theme. Begin by stating whether you agree or disagree. State a similar experience from your own life that supports the author’s philosophy or differs from the author’s philosophy showing that you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view. Give plenty of specific supporting details. (8-10 sentences)”

Criteria for Success: 75% of students will improve by one point or better on the posttest according to a department rubric.

Excellent (3 points) / Above Average
(2 points) / Average (1 point) / Unacceptable
(0 points)
Subject & Verb / Each sentence contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. / Only one or two sentences lack a complete thought and do not significantly interfere with the readability of the writing. / Sentences describe the subject but contain two or more incomplete sentences and the main point of the writing is weak. / Almost no sentences contain a subject and a verb and the main point of the writing is incomprehensible.
Spelling / Sentences have very few, if any spelling errors. / Sentences have some spelling errors, but do not significantly interfere with the readability of the writing. / Sentences have spelling errors which interfere with the readability of the description(s) of the writing. / Sentences contain a large amount of spelling errors.
Use of Tense / Sentences consistently use the correct tense (past, present, future,…) for the appropriate context of the writing prompt. / Sentences contain no more than two incorrect uses of tense. / Sentences contain three to five incorrect uses of tense which interfere with some of the readability of the writing. / The majority of the sentences use inconsistent tense(s) and takes away from the ability to comprehend the writing.
Capitalization / Each proper noun is capitalized and the beginning of each sentence begins with a capital letter. / Writing contains up to two capitalization errors. / Writing contains three to five capitalization errors. / Almost all sentences and proper nouns are not capitalized.

Summary of Data

Sample Size / Number and percentage of students who made at least one point improvement
14 / 7 = 50%

While half of the students in this course made an improvement by one point, all students maintained a posttest score of 2 or 3 which are above average and excellent.

Use of Results:

Since all students maintained an above average or excellent score, continuous assessment will be done and strategies and materials will be researched to further improve upon instruction in this area.