More students fail English placement test
By Randa Anthony
One in four new students who took the English placement test were placed into developmental English classes this fall.
This fall there was a higher percent of students enrolled in English 090, Basic Composition 2 than in the fall semester of 1998.
Students prior to enrollment into any degree and many certificate programs are required to have completed testing for English, mathematics, and/or chemistry.
There were 27 English 101 classes offered both this and last fall, with all day sections being completely filled at the time of enrollment. However, three new developmental English sections were added this fall to absorb the students that scored low.
Giacomo Leone, Humanities and Fine Arts Division Chair said, "I think that the high schools are doing a fine job, but the last formal writing class some of these kids have is their sophomore year of high school."
Leone continued, "It seems that a lot of things that these kids learn don’t carry over very well after a couple of years of not practicing them and with the older students, they haven’t done any of this stuff in years."
Patrick Weber, Director of Guidance at LaSalle-Peru High School said, "There really needs to be better articulation between IVCC and the area high schools about what their expectations are."
One disgruntled student said, "I took four years of English in high school and got A’s and B’s the whole way through and they put me in 093." She continued, "OK, so maybe I spelled something wrong or messed up the punctuation. That doesn’t mean I can’t write a paper or even a paragraph. They’re not even going to let me try 101."
Counselor Jim Stevenson remarked, "A lot of the students who were upset with English placement were those with ACT scores that would typically have placed them into English Composition at public universities in Illinois."
Stevenson added, "Based on a study we did five years ago, we did have more students this fall that were placed into 090 who had ACT scores above 21. Universities in Illinois admit based on ACT scores."
Leone said, "The purpose (of the test) is to ensure that the students succeed in all of their English classes."
IVCC admits all, but only those who make the English 101 cutoff may use it for transferable credit, and will not be allowed to take English 101 without the developmental prerequisite.
Leone said, "We seem to be at one of the crests with the scores. It tends to cycle every few years."
Marianne Dzik, English instructor and Special Populations Coordinator handles the scoring of the tests and said that the tests were graded this fall by members of the English 101 faculty that were trained in the grading processes of the grammar, context, and essay portions of the test.
Students may also submit a portfolio of their work in place of the English exam, but not after.
HFA chair Leone said, "We have standards that are good and strong and aren’t going anywhere."