Departmental SLO Process

The English As a Second Language Department SLO process is implemented at the Department, Program and Course levels. The process we have meets the challenges that exist because of the wide scope of the student goals we address as well as communication challenges due to our multiple campus locations. What is our process?

Analysis of assessment Results Publication of tests and other assessments: rubrics, graphs and narrative summaries of progress indicators and other forms of data are discussed in campus, faculty, department committee and campus coordinator meetings.

I. Program/Course Outcomes

A: The Credit English as a Second Language (ESL) program has developed student learning outcomes (SLOs) for each of its course offerings. These SLOs are derived from the course outlines, which in turn align with state standards. Data gathered from individual faculty, the credit curriculum committee, the ESL department assessment coordinator, campus coordinator meetings and department-wide assessments, which are the common composition, grammar and reading finals, is regularly analyzed to ascertain that the state standards are being adhered to and that the SLOS on the course outlines are being achieved.

B: Our Noncredit English As a Second Language (ESL) program is based upon the 1992 California Noncredit and State Adult Education Program Model Standards. The City College of San Francisco (CCSF) ESL Program has developed student learning outcomes (SLOs) for each of our nine levels. In addition, our English for specific purposes classes, that is our Academic, Bridge, Citizenship, Focus and Vocational ESL classes, also have SLOs that align with state standards.

We regularly analyze data gathered from individual faculty, campus committees, campus coordinator meetings, and department-wide assessment results to determine whether we are effectively adhering to these state standards and whether or not noncredit ESL students are successfully achieving stated outcomes.

II. Multiple Measure Assessments

For the credit courses, our faculty has primary responsibility for developing authentic assessment tools. These tools include written and oral exams and assignments based on rubrics such as writing, oral presentations and group work. Additionally, the composition course sequence includes a common final consisting of a composition, reading and grammar component. These exams were created by the Credit Curriculum Committee and are used for both grading and to determine whether course SLOs are being achieved.

In the noncredit program, which is an open entry/exit program, multiple measure assessments are ongoing and based upon comprehension of materials, a student's ability to be a self-learner and the student's ability to appropriately and accurately complete a variety of language tasks and skills. These assessments, as in credit ESL, are developed primarily by our faculty. In addition, the Noncredit Program administers department-wide promotion tests to Low Beginners, High Beginners, and Intermediate Low studentswhich tests their cumulative knowledge of English at these levels. A Noncredit Assessment Resource Instructor leads the faculty in administering the tests and posts test results once every semester for all of the ESL faculty to view. At the High Beginner level, students are tested in all four skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as one way of indicating whether students are ready for the Intermediate level of English language learning.

III. Analysis of Assessment Results

Analysis of assessment data is done continually on an individual level as well as a campus and department level. On the individual level, bi-monthly non-credit campus faculty meetings discuss student outcomes class by class to help determine the needs of a campus with regards to class offerings, use of new equipment or technology, best practices in teaching methodology, etc. Credit faculty meet at least once a semester in level meetings to discuss course SLOs and results of assessments. Campus Coordinators meet weekly to discuss students’ success and departmental concerns, including scheduling, student progress data, etc. Campus representatives to the Credit Curriculum Committee, Noncredit Curriculum Committee, ESL Technology Committee, ESL Personnel Committee, and Staff Development Committee discuss student achievement of stated outcomes and faculty ability to align outcomes with state standards in monthly committee discussions and reports. Test results as well as summaries of individual faculty assessment results are discussed on a campus and department level.

Credit Curriculum Committee: Determines final composition exam topics; analyzes the results of the final composition, reading and grammar finals; analyzes student pass rates and exam rubrics; and makes revisions to course outlines.

Noncredit Curriculum Committee: Analyzes promotion test results, progress indicator data, individual campus reports on student success, successful teaching techniques and methodology. Members are primarily responsible for evaluating the ESLA, ESLF, and ESLN student learning outcomes and course outline revisions.

ESL Technology Committee: Analyzes faculty and student use and abilities to learn language assisted by a variety of media in the classroom or language lab. Each campus has a minimum of two faculty members designated for staff development in technology in the classroom based upon successful models brought to the committee from CCSF or outside sources. Holds a yearly professional development day to share information about language learning using technology - lessons and techniques. Members are primarily responsible for evaluating the ESLF computer-assisted language courses (CALL) and student outcomes related to keeping current with technology in ESL teaching.

ESL Personnel Committee: Members identify personnel issues that may include ESL faculty qualifications and requirements. Members evaluate our faculty evaluation process.

ESL Staff Development Committee: Disseminates information about a variety of professional development opportunities and holds a yearly ESL Colloquium in which members of the ESL Department hold an independent professional day to share curriculum ideas, technology practice, best practices in methodology, latest teaching research, etc. not only to CCSF faculty, but to all Bay Area ESL instructors.

The Noncredit ESL Department has Resource Instructors to help gather data and lead discussions of SLOs in Citizenship Preparation and Vocational ESL. The Noncredit SLO Coordinator is specifically responsible to lead the Noncredit faculty in closing the SLO Assessment Loop. Our Committee system enables our Department leaders to have the maximum amount of input to make informed decisions about the direction of the ESL Department.

Built into the promotion testing activity week are "level" meetings in which faculty compare and discuss student outcome data to determine whether a noncredit student is ready to be promoted to the next level or not. Faculty are asked to complete feedback forms to evaluate test items and test week activities. Noncredit ESL faculty are major contributors to CCSF's regular flex staff development programs to share best teaching practices, assessment methods and resources with colleagues.

IV. Plans for Change

Committee reports, Campus Coordinator meetings and Noncredit Teacher Resource Instructor- posted results from testing and other assessment determine topics of discussion in regards to any change in the ESL Department Student Learning Outcomes, Course Scheduling, and Faculty classroom support (technology or other supply needs). As a result of practice and analysis, the Department found that students responded well to visual learning techniques. In Spring 2012, there was department-wide training on the new document reader that every campus has been equipped with. The Technology Committee members led the professional development training. Also, as a result of campus discussion and assessment results, it was determined that there was a need for students to acquire more vocabulary. Also, Noncredit ESL students are being assessed effectively; however, it was discovered, that the course outlines needed to improve the alignment of assessment tasks with course SLOs; therefore, course outlines were revised to reflect this. Credit ESL course outlines were also revised for the listening/speaking sequence in order to more fully encompass the SLOs that are desired from the completion of these courses.

Plans for change are usually agendized at the end of every semester and used as goals for the following semester. Reports and department metrics are gathered early in the following semester for program review. Plans for changes in course outlines, program scheduling, and budget allocation are made at these times.

Implementation and who's responsible?

A. Our SLO process is ultimately managed by the Department Chair. Both the Credit and Noncredit SLO Coordinators report to the Chair. The Department Committees and Coordinators report to the Chair and the SLO Coordinators carry out vetted tasks and manage the SLO credit and noncredit assessment processes.

B. After the Chair, the Campus Coordinators and the ESL Curriculum Committees have the particular responsibility to gather and post SLO discussion summaries on the department website for the faculty. The SLO Coordinators post abridged information on the CCSF SLO website.

C. Specific courses are assigned to faculty groups for review and SLO discussions. The Noncredit curriculum committee has general responsibilities for every noncredit ESL course, and particular responsibility to manage the SLOs for the ESLA, ESLF, and ESLN courses, and the Credit Curriculum Committee has responsibilities for the all the credit ESL courses. The VESL resource instructor has particular responsibilities to monitor the successful outcomes of students who enroll in ESLV and ESLB courses and to communicate with and provide assessment assistance for faculty who are assigned these courses. The Technology Committee's primary responsibility is to review the SLO assessment process of all courses that use technology as one of the outcomes, in particular, the CALL course outlines, as well as the ESL department computer lab. Review of the SLO process and the relevant courses are agendized on a regular basis.

D. Plans for change are noted in course review notes from the Credit and Noncredit Curriculum Committees and implemented as soon as possible. The SLO Coordinator maintains a calendar and timeline for curricular changes, as well as other types of changes brought about by analyzing student data with regular reports to the Department Chair and School Dean. What resources are available to our students?

1992 California State ESL Adult Program Model Standards CCSF Noncredit Course SLOs Student wiki

Open entry/exit Assessment Techniques for Noncredit

1. Needs assessment: Early in the semester, or upon intake, the teacher provides a level- appropriate questionnaire or conducts informal interviews to determine student's prior exposure to an ESL classroom experience as well as skill level. This tool can help the teacher determine what outcomes need to be emphasized. It can also help gather information about a student’s English language learning goals. 2. Successful completion of in-class tasks and assignments. This varies from class to class and level by level. Since homework is optional, observation of a student’s ability to do in- class assignments is important. 3. Student self-evaluation. At the end of each teaching unit or topic, the instructor provides students with a checklist to complete or conducts informal interviews in which the student articulates what has been learned or skill gained. For beginning level students, a simple checklist is useful:

4. Portfolio of work. Students enjoy keeping and viewing work that they have finished. Teachers provide folders or students keep notebooks with completed in-class assignments that both student and faculty agree are examples of good work. Portfolios also contain examples from the beginning of the semester and similar assignments from the end of the semester where the student has evidence of improved English skills. 5. In-class quizzes and performances. Students are not required to have homework or take tests in noncredit classes, however, faculty members often administer short in-class assessments to make sure that students are progressing satisfactorily, identify gaps in knowledge, and evaluate class progress towards course SLOs. Students are asked to give brief oral presentations, participate in “authentic” conversations, and do a variety of other creative tasks to show that they have mastered the SLOs for a unit or the course. 6. Daily agendas. Faculty provide a list of daily learning objectives in a prominent place in the class so that students know the focus of the daily lesson. At the end of class, time is taken for the students to reflect and articulate what they have successfully mastered. The faculty member is able to revise or change, if necessary, future lessons based upon this informal survey. 7. Role-plays. Use of real-world simulations in which students, using models provided through in- class assignments, using critical thinking skills, accurately and appropriately participate and respond. For example, the call for help for a repair is a common real-world situation that where the student is required to assess a problem and give accurate descriptive and detailed information in a non-face-to-face phone call to a possibly unsympathetic listener. Noncredit ESL students complete civic engagement assessments.