The National Study of Writing Instruction - University at Albany

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Year 2: Year-long Case Studies of 6 New York Schools The second year of data gathering consisted of a series of year-long case studies of middle and high school instruction in core content areas (English, social science, science, and math), as well as the writing students did for all of their coursework (including courses beyond the core content areas). These studies focused on the contextual factors that shape students’ experiences with writing, including factors that lead to differential instruction and experience in writing, and the impact of new technologies on writing instruction and writing processes. Methods Sample of Schools The year-long case studies were conducted in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 in a middle and a high school in 3 contrasting districts (one urban, one suburban, and one rural). The urban and rural districts are both categorized by the state as “high need,” with 37 to 65% of the students eligible for free or reduced price lunch. The suburban district, on the other hand, serves a stable middle class community and has abundant resources available for instruction. The urban district is about 40% minority; the other two districts are 92% or more white. At grade 8, for example, only 31% of students in the urban district meet state standards in English language arts, compared to 60% in the rural district and 76% in the suburban district. Tables 1 and 2 summarize demographic and achievement data for the 3 middle and 3 high schools, respectively. Participants Participants included the district superintendent or assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, the principal of each school, other school or district administrators responsible for curriculum and instruction in the core academic areas, and at least 1 teacher of each of the core academic subjects at each of the target grades: 6, 8, 10, and 12. In addition, 4 focal students at each of the target grades in each school were chosen in consultation with the English department leader, to represent higher- and lower-achievement according to school norms. Where possible, two of the four students were English learners, as designated by state or district screening procedures, and two spoke English as their mother tongue. Skansen Middle School, in the urban district, did not include Grade 6, and therefore no Grade 6 teachers or students participated. However, 4 Grade 8 English learners were included in the sample. Across the 3 districts and 6 schools, 18 individuals with administrative responsibilities, 42 teachers, and 45 students participated in interviews or observations. 6
Table 1. Middle School Demographics and Achievement Higgins MS Mayfair District 7 Skansen MS Riverside MS New York State % Eligible for Free Lunch 3.5 52.9 29.5 36.6 % Eligible for Reduced Lunch 1.2 11.8 7.9 7.5 % Limited English Proficient 0.5 1.4 0.0 7.2 Student Ethnic/Racial Distribution %African-American %Hispanic/Latino %White %Other % Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards on Gr. 8 ELA Test % Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards on Gr. 8 Math Test % Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards on Gr. 8 Science Test 1.1 1.2 92.6 5.1 30.4 9.9 58.1 1.5 1.7 0.0 97.9 0.4 19.9 19.7 53.2 76 31 60 78 83 44 82 77 90 69 90 71 2004-05 Fall Enrollment 566 (Grades 6-8) 714 (Grades 7-8) 241 (Grades 6-8) 7.2
Page 1 and 2: February 2011 The National Study of
Page 3 and 4: Appendix 3. Instruments: Year 3 Stu
Page 5: Year 1: Analysis of Existing Nation
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___ Overhead projector ___ Webpage
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Below is a list of reasons that tea
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To what extent do you use the follo
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improving students' writing skills.
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How many days did students have to
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Administrator Interview Schedule Sc
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20. Are you satisfied with your stu
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INITIATIVES & SUPPORT How does your
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING How
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18. Tell me about your use of techn
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Paragraphs+ (1 or more parag.) Focu
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Other Technology Use By Student Int
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Daily Interpretive Memo After each
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7. What unusual approaches or metho
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___ Special education ___ Other (pl
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If so, please specify: ____________
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Are there specialized types of writ
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What technologies have you used in
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How important have the following so
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What is the general subject of this
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If you assign paragraph-length writ
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How many weeks are there in a full
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Was this assignment ___Required ___
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Writing and Learning Activities 200
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The National Study of Writing Instruction - University at Albany

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