Proposal Title
The Effect of Common Core Standards of Writing on Student Writing Ability
Proposal Type
Individual Presentation
Location
Olscamp 225: Designing Collaboration
Start Date
21-10-2017 2:15 PM
End Date
21-10-2017 3:30 PM
Abstract
The goal of Common Core is to prepare students for “college, career, and life” by establishing rigorous, comprehensive standards that all students are expected to meet. With emphasis placed on literacy and math, Common Core stipulates all teachers are teachers of reading and writing. While admirable in nature, in practice, Common Core seems designed with standardized testing which is used to keep tabs on teacher effectiveness rather than gauging student readiness or ability. A possible consequence of this focus is apathetic writers only concerned with passing the test. The goal of writing is shifted from a personal communication of ideas or values to meeting arbitrary requirements.
The Effect of Common Core Standards of Writing on Student Writing Ability
Olscamp 225: Designing Collaboration
The goal of Common Core is to prepare students for “college, career, and life” by establishing rigorous, comprehensive standards that all students are expected to meet. With emphasis placed on literacy and math, Common Core stipulates all teachers are teachers of reading and writing. While admirable in nature, in practice, Common Core seems designed with standardized testing which is used to keep tabs on teacher effectiveness rather than gauging student readiness or ability. A possible consequence of this focus is apathetic writers only concerned with passing the test. The goal of writing is shifted from a personal communication of ideas or values to meeting arbitrary requirements.
Proposal
Common Core standards focuses on three types of writing: narrative, argumentative, and informative with importance placed on using textual support in writing. In theory, this seems to be sound practice. However, given SAT writing scores which have reportedly decreased the last ten years and colleges and universities who feel the need to remediate college writing classes more and more, the question needs asked, is this current system effective?
This presentation will ask and explore the question, does Common Core, with its emphasis on formulaic writing instruction designed to “pass the test,” inhibit student writing? Could it be that student writers are so concerned with form and mechanics that content or the transmission of ideas, is a secondary afterthought? I propose a study of student writing attitude. This would be accomplished through quantitative research by means of surveys in college freshman writing courses and 7th and 8th grade English classes. Students would be asked to consider their biggest concerns when writing. Once concerns have been ascertained, writing samples would be procured and analyzed to determine the strengths and weaknesses of individual student writers. The presenter will explore the current theoretical framework and methodology to facilitate the conversation surrounding Common Core and writing.