Rae Roberts and Kelly Wiechart Tips for Excellence in Writing Student Learning Outcomes TESOL 2012 Philadelphia

1. Tips for Excellence in Writing
Student Learning Outcomes.
(SLOs)
Kelly Wiechart
and
Rae Roberts
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2. Introductions
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3. Workshop Objectives
Workshop Mission Statement:
To provide the opportunity to learn the
structure of an SLO and how it must connect to
other program components.
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4. Workshop Descriptors
• Can determine key elements of a mission
statement.
• Can recognize appropriate level descriptors which
relate to the mission statement.
• Can recognize appropriate level descriptors which
relate to the mission statement and the SLOs.
• Can independently produce an SLO which relates
to the mission statement and the level
descriptors.
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5. Workshop SLO
By the end of this workshop, participants
will be able to:
Independently create an SLO that relates to
a mission statement and level descriptors
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6. SLO Connections
Mission Statement
Level Descriptors
Student Learning Outcomes
(SLO)
Curriculum (Syllabi,
Objectives, Book selection)
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7. SLO Connections
Mission Statement
The mission of the Pie English Program
(PEP) is to provide quality learning
opportunities and language instruction
aimed at developing ESL skills in the areas
of pre-academic English and professional
English in health care and business, and to
provide cultural awareness opportunities
needed to succeed in these areas.
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8. Mission Statement
Task 1
Underline the key elements in the
mission statement that describe what
PEP will provide.
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9. SLO Connections
Mission Statement
Level Descriptors
Student Learning Outcomes
(SLO)
Curriculum (Syllabi,
Objectives, Book selection)
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10. ‹#›

11. Level 1: Health Writing Descriptors
• Can write simple notes and messages based
on familiar situations.
• Can fill out forms requiring basic personal
information.
• Can take simple phone messages.
• Can accomplish tasks involving production of
simple written communication.
• Grammatical errors may, at times interfere
with written comprehensibility.
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12. TASK 2
Task 2: Do the level descriptors below reflect the
stated mission? Why or why not?
Level 1 Health care writing descriptors
1. Can write simple notes and messages based on
familiar situations.
2. Can fill out forms requiring basic personal
information.
3. Can take simple phone messages.
4. Grammatical errors may at times interfere with
written comprehensibility
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13. SLO Connections
Mission Statement
Level Descriptors
Student Learning Outcomes
Curriculum (Syllabi,
Objectives, Book selection)
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14. SLOs are….
SLO
Statements of target achievement 14

15. SLO vs. Objectives
How are learning outcomes different from
learning objectives? End vs. means
– Learning objectives specify topics to be covered
and tend to treat course material as the end.
– SLOs focus on students’ intellectual growth and
skill development with course material as the
means.
Source: http://ctl.byu.edu/collections/developing-learning-outcomes
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16. TASK 3
Does the SLO below reflect the PEP mission and
level descriptors ? Why or why not?
Level 1 health writing SLO
Produces culturally appropriate writing in
learned health workplace writing situations.
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17. 5 Elements of good SLOs
1. Targeted to the stated mission
2. Targeted to the level descriptors
3. Specific, measurable, and attainable
4. Accurate measurement of student
achievement of elements taught
5. Comprehensible and available to all stake
holder
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18. Task 4
Task 4— Read the level descriptors below. How can the SLO below be
improved?
Level 2 health speaking descriptors
1. Can produce and understand learned phrases containing familiar
health vocabulary
2. Can ask and respond to direct questions on familiar and some
unfamiliar health subjects.
3. Can use learned phrases, but also uses new phrases to speak with
some creativity with culturally appropriate meaning.
4. Can control basic grammar with occasional errors, which do not
interfere with comprehensibility.
SLO: Produces accurate questions for health workplace situations.
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19. TASK 5
Write a SLO that takes into consideration the mission
statement above and the level descriptors below.
Level Descriptors: Reading Level 2
1. Can identify the general topic of health care related written
messages and instructions.
2. Can identify the main idea and important details of health
care related written messages and instructions.
3. Can demonstrate reading comprehension through written
responses to messages and instructions.
4. Can demonstrate orally and in writing sufficient reading
fluency to comprehend short health related articles of one
page or less.
Does your SLO reflect the 5 elements of a good learning
outcome? 19

20. Recommendation
• Use a committee to write and review Mission
Statement, Level Descriptors, and SLOs.
Include Stakeholders: Teachers, instructional
designers, IT, students, tutors
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21. Summary
SLOs are statements of target achievement.
SLOs are connected to the entire program.
Questions? Comments?
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