Reading Results
Today begins the last week of regular classes before finals begin. I’ve started conducting the second San Diego Quick Assessment with my two groups. You can read here and here about what I’ve been doing with the SDQA during this semester.
As I’ve written before, the SDQA is not meant for EFL students so its validity is highly questionable. That being said, we really need a reading level assessment on these students when they come in so we can give them some direction instead of just shoving some books at them and telling them to get started reading. Since we don’t have one, this one will have to do.
So far, it seems that the majority of students have not moved up a grade level on the SDQA. There have been some who have but not many. I don’t think that this group of students will yield the best information because as I’ve noted earlier, I’ve not been with them reliably and I haven’t applied a consistent reading enrichment scheme. In the fall, it will be different. I’ll be a lead teacher and I can be more consistent in promoting reading and following up on it.
Another thing that I’ve gotten back recently in terms of student feedback has been the questionnaire that I put in Moodle. Several students (apparently from Section A) have filled it in and their response has been favorable toward an entire period devoted to reading silently. Of course, they struggle with staying alert and they suggested that I should be doing more but for the most part, the feedback was favorable. In the fall, I’m planning on doing it again. This time while students are reading, I’ll try to split my time between reading (they suggested that I read anything-not only Russian) and roaming around. It really bothered some of them that I stayed at my desk…which is a bit funny when you consider that I let them move all around the room and read reclining, sitting and crouching under desks, whatever felt comfortable to them. Then again, I’m the teacher and different standards apply.
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