Professors Dr. Lori Hughes and Dr Lana Myers, Lone Star College-Montgomery, shared their successful strategies for teaching integrated reading and writing (IRW) courses. They presented their integration strategies, combined assessments, and lessons learned through two years of IRW pilots and full-scale implementation of an IRW program.

1. Dr. Lori Hughes
Dr. Lana Myers
Lone Star College-Montgomery
Let's Come Together:
Strategies for Integrating
Reading and Writing in Texas
May 9, 2013

2. • Quick Context – LSC-M and IRW
• Focus on Motivation
• Activities and Assessments to
Encourage and Motivate
Presentation Agenda

3. Quick Context
LSC-M and IRW

4. The Challenge
• Nationwide, Developmental students
experience low success, completion, and
retention rates
• Developmental Education Research Suggests:
 “Among those who take remedial classes, the more
remedial coursework taken [is associated] with the
least likelihood of educational success” (Russell, 2008,
p. 3).
 “About one-quarter of all students referred to three
levels below college level for both math and reading
drop out between courses” (Bailey, 2009, p. 14).

5. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) charge
(granting agency) to Developmental Education Demonstration
Projects (DEDP) grantees ($1.5 million dollar grant):
• Combine upper-level reading and writing to accelerate students’
progress through the developmental sequence
• During the grant cycle, all five DEDP colleges piloted upper-level
IRW courses with identical:
• Textbooks
• Syllabi
• Learning Outcomes
• Curricula
• Lab Software
The Response

6. Zero full-time faculty were100% dedicated to Developmental English
 Selected full-time faculty typically taught 1 DE course per semester
 The remainder of the sections were taught by adjuncts
Little professional development available which focused on Developmental English
Reading and writing were taught as separate courses with specialized curricula, syllabi, and
textbooks
 Two levels of reading (ENGL 0304 and ENGL 0305)
 Two levels of writing (ENGL 0306 and ENGL 0307)
A homegrown, faculty developed lab comprised the 1 hour lab component of the course
There were few opportunities for accelerating the Developmental sequence
Developmental English
Department Prior to Curriculum
Redesign

7. Dev. English Classrooms
and Class Caps
• Dev. English Computer Classrooms - 24 computers each
• Class caps
• Previously - 24 students
• Starting in fall 2012 - 20 students

8. Two new, integrated courses developed:
• ENGL 0302: Integrated Reading and Writing I (full-scale in fall 2012)
• [Dev. Writing I (0306) + Dev. Reading I (0304)]
• ENGL 0309: Advanced Developmental Reading and Writing
(piloted spring 2011, fall 2011, and spring 2012; full-scale in fall 2012)
 [Dev. Writing II (0307) + Dev. Reading II (0305)]
• Each course meets four hours per week – 3 lecture; 1 hour lab
(An additional hour of classwork per week is required to be completed in the Dev.
English Homework Lab – 10% of students’ grade)
Development of Integrated
Reading and Writing at LSC-M

9. Placement for ENGL 0309 and
ENGL 0302
• Students who place into either upper-level reading or upper-level
writing are placed in ENGL 0309
• Students who DO NOT place into either upper level course are
placed into ENGL 0302

10. Scaling of Integrated Reading and Writing Sections
Scaling
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Spring
2011
Fall 2011 Spring
2012
Fall 2012 Spring
2013
0 0 0
6
4
2 3 3
38
25
0302 sections
0309 sections

11. Focus on Motivation

12. What is motivation?
According to Glynn, Aultman, and Owens, “motivation is an internal state that
arouses, directs, and sustains human behavior. It plays a fundamental role in learning.”
An individual is more vested in his or her education if he or she is intrinsically
motivated. What are the strengths of intrinsically motivated students? (Beffa-
Negrini, Cohen, and Miller).
 Show higher conceptual understanding
 Demonstrate more creativity and creative thinking
How can instructors intrinsically motivate students?
 Kostelecky and Hoskinson note that instructors should allow students to decide for themselves
if, and when, they will engage in the learning process.
 Once they do, their learning takes on a more personal meaning and may become more important
to them
Focus on Motivation

13. How does a student’s relationship to his or her instructor impact intrinsic motivation? (Kostelecky
& Hoskinson).
 Students' perceptions of positive relationships with parents and teachers contribute to success in
academic settings.
 In addition, intrapersonal variables such as perceived competence, perceived control, and
perceived autonomy support have been shown to affect young adolescents' achievement and
motivation.
 Finally, researchers have also identified systematic links between these interpersonal and
intrapersonal variables
Wlodkowski advocates the use of five behaviors to guide the motivating instructor:
 Offer expertise
 Have empathy
 Show enthusiasm
 Demonstrate clarity
 Furnish a safe learning environment in which students feel respected
Focus on Motivation
(Continued)

14. Activities and
Assessments to
Encourage and Motivate

15. The Stephen King
Connection

16. Transition from In-Class “Homegrown Labs” to Online Labs
• In fall 2011, 50% of instructors used MyReadingLab / MyWriting Lab; 50% used “In-House”
labs
• In spring 2012, comparative data prompted transition to 100% use of online labs (lab paid
for by grant)
• In fall 2012, students purchased lab codes for Aplia Lab (Cengage product) with their
Cengage textbooks
Starting in fall 2012, students are required to complete an extra lab hour
in the Developmental English Lab (G 202/203) each week
• Students are assigned a lab software as determined by faculty cohort
structure:
• Aplia – Cengage Product
Our Labs Motivate

17. Strategy: Show enthusiasm - Showcase a successful
student’s work after a major assignment
Positive Reinforcement

18. • Provide detailed feedback
on graded assignments
• Brainstorming assignments
• Outlines
• Drafts
• Second drafts
• Final versions
• After a Final Draft is graded and
returned, require an additional revision
assignment to further underscore an
understanding of content and grammar
edits to improve subsequent essay
assignments
Demonstrate Clarity
Strategy: Demonstrate Clarity

19. • Encourage students to have more control over their work
Perceived Control
Strategy: Perceived Control
Moment of Learning Assignment
Adapted from Sugie Goen-Salter
Source Material

20. • Encourage students to have more control over their work
Perceived Control
(cont.)
Strategy: Perceived Control (Continued)
• Student chosen research topics
• Student shared scholarly sources
(Collaboration provided though a Discussion Forum in Angel)
Brainstorming
Exercise
Respond to “What do I
stand for?” by Fun
http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM
0

21. • Encourage students to have more control over their work
Perceived Control
(cont.)
Strategy: Perceived Control (Continued)
Associated reading: Two essays of your choice from Waiting for Superman.
Your job in this essay is to compare and contrast two different essays that you
choose from Waiting for Superman. Since the main theme of this essay is education
reform, you know the main aspect that these two essays have in common.
However, there are many differences that these writers have about their ideas toward
education reform as well. Choose two essays to write about. Your task is not to
describe what the authors write about, but really focus on the specific ideas they
have and how they differ. You should show how the two essays are similar, but also
how they differ.
The second aspect of your essay is to reflect on this type of writing in one
paragraph. What did you learn from this assignment? What benefit does comparison
and contrast have on your understanding of the readings? What challenges did you
face while writing? What are you most proud of in this assignment?

22. Beverley Turner, Chair of Developmental English, developed a
methodology for engaging students’ self strategies for affective
efficacy.
These strategies are
incorporated into all
IRW courses.
New Focus on Affective
Efficacies

23. Strategy: Perceived Competence (Continued)
• Examples of journaling assignments focusing on Affective Efficacies.
Affective Efficacies
Perceived Competence
Self-Discipline Your second essay is due by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Discuss the
steps you will take to ensure that the essay is completed and
submitted on-time. What do you have left to complete? When
will you make the time to complete your essay? Will you go to
The Write Place for assistance? If not, who will you ask to be
your second pair of eyes for the essay?
Self-Directed Reflect on all of the assignments you have to complete this
week.
Then, write a Misson Statement for yourself as if you were a
non-profit organization or corporation. A Mission Statement is a
formal written pronouncement of the purpose of a organization.

24. Strategy: Perceived Competence (Continued)
• Examples of journaling assignments focusing on Affective Efficacies.
Affective Efficacies:
Self-Knowledge
Self-
knowledge
What are your best subjects? Why do you think they are easy for
you?
What subjects are difficult for you? Why do you think they are so
challenging?
Self-
knowledge
If you could learn about anything you wanted to, what would you
choose to learn about? Be specific.
If people were to come to you for information about something you
know a lot about, what would the topic be?

25. Strategy: Perceived Competence (Continued)
• Examples of journaling assignments focusing on Affective Efficacies.
Affective Efficacies:
Self-Directed
Self-directed Now that we have reached the middle of the semester mark in
ENGL 0309, reflect on your experiences in the course thus far.
Respond in a brief essay to the following questions.1) What has
been your favorite part of the course (discussions, exams, reading
journal, readings)? Why do you like this particular thing best?2)
What might you like to see more of as we move into the second half
of our course? 3) What do you think about the text Waiting for
Superman? Would you recommend it to others? why or why not?4)
What do you think of the Aplia lab?5) What other comments do you
have regarding the course?

26. Strategy: Show Enthusiasm
Themes and novels used in some sections starting in fall 2012
• Theme: The Olympic Spirit: Motivational Coaching for Life
• Novel: Making the Most of Your Life: Eight Motivational Stories and Essays
• Theme: Coping with and transcending Childhood Adversity
• Novel: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wall
• Theme: Education and Its Impact
• Novel: Waiting for Superman: How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools. Editor Karl Weber
• Theme: Our Furry Friends, Reading and Writing about Animals
• Novels: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
• Theme: Finding Your Adventure
• Novels: Drive by Daniel Pink and Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Show Enthusiasm

27. Activate your schema
• What do you know about Jane Goodall, her
research, her background?
• What do you know about the study of animal
behavior?
Activate Schema
Video Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDliq_Rt11o

28. Additional Reading /
Pre-Reading Strategies
Vocabulary Exercise
- Identify challenging words in the text
- Write down the definition of the word
- Write an original sentence with the word

29. Additional Reading /
Pre-Reading Strategies
Grammar Exercise
- Closely examine one page of text in the work for the use of
commas.
- Then, using the nine comma rules, identify which rule is used
in which sentence.
- Then, write original sentences using the comma rule as if you
were adding to the original text of the work. In other
words, use the author’s tone and voice when writing the new
sentences.

30. Read the article “America’s Community Colleges
on the Ascent” by Arthur Cohen
• Reflect on your decision to attend a community college. What were your
expectations? What were your concerns?
• What is Cohen’s thesis?
• What kind of support is used? Do you agree or disagree with his ideas?
Why or why not?
Read, Reflect, and Write

31. KWL Strategy
• Engage students in the KWL strategy concerning a text
• Use the “Learned” column for a post reading
assessment or large group discussion
Read, Reflect, and Write

32. Critical Reviews Summary
• As a pre-reading strategy, ask students to read multiple
reviews of textbooks, essays, and / or novels on
Amazon.com or a similar website
• Then, have them write a quick summary of the negative
and positive aspects of the reviews.
• Discuss the reviews as a large group and then engage
in additional pre-reading activities by talking about the
work’s title, author, cover art, etc.
Read, Reflect, and Write

33. View the Inspiration™ iPad app
• Look at the ways that you can be inspired to create using Inspiration’s app
(http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/graphic-organizers)
• What do you think of this particular tool for your writing/reading process?
• Let’s try it!
• Now, reflect on your experience. How can this app help you to organize
what you read and write? What are the drawbacks?
Inspire!

34. Favorite Author
• Post a discussion of your favorite author (now or in the past)
• What makes him or her such an admired author?
• Write five questions you might ask this author if you could meet him or her.
• Now, with a partner, exchange interview questions. Each of you take on the
“persona” of this author and try to answer at least two of the questions
posed by your peer.
Reading/Writing
Connection

35. Every activity encourages motivation by:
 showing enthusiasm in assignment creation
 clarity in assessment
 allow freedom in readings and writings as much as
possible
 for every reading, connect a writing assignment and vice
versa
The Bottom Line

36. 1) Journal Prompts for an online IRW class
2) Self-Strategies arranged for sequenced learning of Affective Efficacy
3) Affective Efficacy Prompts for an Online Class
4) Affective Efficacy Prompts for a face-to-face class
5) Comparison / Contrast Essay Prompt
6) Research Essay Prompt
IRW Assignments
(supporting documents)

37. Glynn, S.M., Aultman, L.P., and Owens, A.M., (2005). Motivation to learn in general
education programs. The Journal of General Education, 54(2), pp:150-170.
Beffa-Negrini, Patricia A., Nancy L. Cohen, and Brian Miller. "Strategies to Motivate
Students in Online Learning Environments." Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior
34.6 (2002): 334. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
Kostelecky, K. L., & Hoskinson, M. J. (2005). A "novel" approach to motivating students.
Education, 125(3), 438-442.
Nist-Olejnik, S. & J.P. Holschuh (2013). College success strategies. Boston: Pearson.
Wlodkowski, R.J. Characteristics and skills of a motivating instructor. In: Enhancing Adult
Motivation to Learn. San Francisco; Jossey-Bass: 1999.
Wong, E., Wiest, D., Cusick, L. (2002). Perceptions of autonomy support, parent
attachment, competence, and self-worth as predictors of motivational orientation and
academic achievement: An examination of 6th and 9th grade regular education students.
Adolescence, 37, (146), 255-266.
Works Cited

38. Presenter Contact Information:
Lori.r.hughes@lonestar.edu
Lana.c.myers@lonestar.edu