LITERACY NARRATIVES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, AND ENTRY-LEVEL ASSESSMENT

Abstract

This study investigated potential causes of developmental English placement among recent African-American high school graduates enrolled at a community college. Participants were four men and five women from lower- and lower-middle economic backgrounds who had completed an entry-level writing assessment prior to enrollment. An electronic survey was administered to all participants and included questions about literacy experiences in elementary, middle, and high school. Using an ethnographic approach to thematic narrative analysis, the author compared the literacy narratives of students who had tested into college-level composition with those who had tested into developmental English. Results indicated that participants who had tested into developmental English perceived fewer connections with parents and teachers and held lower standards for their academic achievement than their peers who had tested into college-level composition. The author encourages future research on the impact of gender, socioeconomic status, and home language on writing placement among African-American students and concludes with recommendations for curricularists, instructional designers, and policymakers.