Students and teachers voice overwhelming support for WriterCoach Connection

Every year, Community Alliance for Learning monitors the effectiveness of WriterCoach Connection and publishes the results in its annual Assessment Report, a benchmark for monitoring this unique volunteer program that provides one-on-one academic coaching in writing proficiency for secondary school students in their English classes. Participating students and teachers respond to surveys designed to provide feedback on key aspects of the coaching process. Results guide program improvement and planning and make the program accountable to supporters, schools, and the public. The full report and this report summary delineate remarkable results and an exceptional level of engagement by students and teachers. Here is a summary of the survey assessment results for the most recently completed school year, 2007-08. (The full report is available at www.writercoachconnection.org.)

 Student Survey Results

In spring 2008, 1,184  students from six Albany and Berkeley secondary schools completed a survey that asked them to rate their experience with eleven aspects of the coaching process on a four-point scale. The scale ranged from “Not Helpful” to “Very Helpful.” Mean scores for each aspect on the survey were analyzed. Major results of the student survey are as follows:

1. Overall, students rated writer coaching as “Helpful” (Mean = 3.02).

 

2.  The mean score for helpfulness of eight key aspects of the writing process was 2.88. Students felt the most helpful aspects of coaching were “showing me what’s working in my writing” (3.02), “giving me suggestions for organizing my ideas” (2.99), “checking that I understand the assignment completely” (2.90), “showing me how to express my ideas more clearly” (2.89), “reading my work out loud” (2.84), and “making sure I understand the next steps I need to take to revise my work” (2.84).

The aspects rated notably high, 2.80 and above, precisely reflect both the energetic interaction between student and coach and the program’s intent in developing writing and critical thinking skills and in addressing issues for which teachers most consistently request help for their students. Student comments further underscore the degree to which coaches help students clarify their ideas, organize their thoughts, and develop clear, fluid writing.

 

Teacher Survey Results

 

 Twenty-five out of twenty-seven teachers  completed the program assessment survey. Teachers answered 17 questions regarding aspects of the coaching process and their observations regarding degrees of effectiveness in particular areas. The teacher survey also included evaluation of the helpfulness of coaching for students with differing skill levels. Major results of the teacher survey are as follows:

 

1. All teachers said their writer coaches were helpful with improving the quality of student writing, with a mean overall score of 3.42.

 

2. When asked to compare a recent writing assignment on which students did NOT have writer coaching with a similar recent assignment on which students DID have writer coaching, all responding teachers indicated a noticeable improvement in the rate of assignments turned in, the quality of student work, and the grades earned. The mean score on this question was 3.45.

 

3. Every aspect of the coaching program was rated “Helpful” with a mean score of 3.0 or above, with the exception of “challenging proficient writers,” which received the lowest overall mean score, 2.96.

 

4. Consistent with past years and amplified this year with even higher scores, the highest mean scores were attained on the two questions regarding working with site coordinators (mean score: 3.67) and communicating with site coordinators regarding the goals of the lesson and areas for coaching emphasis (mean score: 3.64). These responses indicate the high degree to which WriterCoach Connection is embedded within the curriculum of the schools, and is recognized by teachers as supporting their existing learning goals for their students.

 

5. Teachers rated writer coaching as “Helpful” to “Very helpful” in the following areas: improving structure and organization (3.60); helping low-skilled or struggling writers (3.60); helping English language learner students (3.57); improving grades on written assignments (3.50); and increasing the number of students turning in written assignments (3.48). Overall improvement in the quality of student writing received a mean score of 3.42, and helping students make effective revisions received a mean score of 3.32.

These survey results echo the results of the past eight years of WriterCoach Connection. This program works!

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