This lesson was taught in three 11th grade English Regents classes. The students are generally very capable, but it is obvious that there are deficits in their knowledge of semi-colons and commas. Through reading their previous writing samples, I could see that in each class there was difficulty in using commas and semi-colons correctly. Either the punctuations marks would be used in the wrong place or they would be missing which leads to run-on sentences. Because each class’s abilities varied, I created a lesson which could be adjusted as we went through the activities.
In the integrated class, the Special Education teacher did not assist the students during the diagnostic or summative test. No special assistance was provided and thus there was no interference with the results. The student, who has a personal aide write her work, merely told the aide what to write; she did not correct if her she was wrong or indicate when she was wrong.
The student work that was measured and recorded for this lesson included a Diagnostic Test Worksheet, a Summative Test Worksheet, and a paragraph properly using semi-colons and commas. The graph entitled “Results of Student Work” below indicates how many students are considered developing, proficient, or distinguished in their knowledge of how and when to use semi-colons and commas. For both worksheets, students were considered developing if there were 4 or more sentences incorrect, proficient if there were 1-3 sentences incorrect, and distinguished if there were zero incorrect. This format is based upon what is considered a passing grade. A 100 is considered distinguished and would be a 10 out of 10. Proficient is anything above a 65, the passing grade for high school. Developing is 65 and below or more than 4 wrong.
The rubric for the writing assignment is out of 24 points. I chose 24 points and assigned each category an even number of points because each element of the paragraph is essential for success in 11th grade. I feel that the categories should not be weighted differently because each part is equally important. Punctuation is a necessary skill not only for 11th grade, but throughout a person’s life. Establishing a controlling idea and supporting it with examples from the text is necessary for success on the 11th grade New York State English Regents Exam.
For the paragraph, students were considered distinguished if they received between a 20 and 24. This correlates to a grade 85% and above which is considered mastery for the NYS English Regents Exam. Proficient is a 65% to 84% which is a 16 to 19 on the rubric. A score below a 19, or 65%, is considered still developing.
The data for the Diagnostic Test shows that there were no students at the distinguished level for using commas and semi-colons. Most of the students were developing. Of the 64 students tested, 48 were considered developing and 16 were considered proficient. After the lesson and in class practice with the punctuation marks, there was evidence that the tutorial was effective. There were 3 students who moved to the distinguished level, and only 21 remained in the developing phase. Most of the students, 40 of the 64, moved to or remained in the proficient level.
In looking at the data for the writing assessment, it is difficult to say exactly how effective the lesson was. Many students did not submit the required work, but those who did, scored well. More than half of the students were in the proficient or distinguished level. There were a number of students in the developing range, but this may have been from the element on the rubric dealing with developing a controlling idea and supporting it with evidence from the text. Overall, of the 41 students who submitted the work, 20 were developing, 11 were proficient, and 10 were distinguished. The graph below shows the number of students in each level for the assignments.
Distinguished 24/24
The first passage by Da Chen and the second passage by Yvoy Winters are similar by having parents needing to let go of their children. Children need to learn new things when they go off to college or just need to move on. For example, in the first passage the entire family was always been treated badly; they were spit on by older farmers in the fields. Once they got accepted into college their parents cried because they didn't want to let them go. The narrator’s mother pulled him once more into her arms, and then gently pushed him away. Even though he is moving on in life they are still a family. In the second passage is writing a poem while writing a poem to his daughter; she is moving on in life to learn more skill. The writer does say that he is in the past, but they are still one. Even though he doesn’t want to see his daughter grow up and leave she has to move on in the future to become something better. Both of these passages teach people to let go of their children and let them move on even thought it’s hard.
Comma and Semi-colon Rubric
Attribute |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Semi-Colon Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Semi-colons are used correctly in two instances to link two or more closely related independent clauses. |
The independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in one instance. |
The closely related independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in two instances. |
Semi-colons are not used. |
Comma Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Commas are used correctly in at least two instances to separate two closely related clauses when they are joined with a coordinating conjunction. |
There is no coordinating conjunction in one instance between two closely related clauses where a comma is being used. |
A comma is forgotten in two instances between two closely related clauses linked with a coordinating conjunction but used correctly at least once. |
Commas are not used to link two closely related clauses with a coordinating conjunction. |
Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Establishes an appropriate controlling idea which links the two passages. |
Has an unclear controlling idea |
The paragraph is a personal response. |
There is no controlling idea. |
Support for Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Supports the controlling idea with one direct detail from each passage. |
Supports the controlling idea with only one direct example or overly general information. |
The paragraph is a plot summary of each passage. |
Does not support the controlling idea with any information from the passages. |
Additional Comments: Great work Mel! Keep up the hard work.
Proficient 18/24
In both passages, there is an idea that kids going off to college and leaving the “nest” is hard as well as emotional on both the parents and the kids. In passage 1, Da Chin and his brother Jin from a Chinese family get accepted to a college in Beijing, China. Da chin is yearning to become a fluent English speaker so he could work for the foreign ministry and converse at an international setting. The pain as he wrote was quite evident in that he states “After breakfast, I checked my train ticket for the last time.” His mom’s pain is also quite clear as he stated “She pulled me once more into her arms, then gently pushed me away and nodded.” Life may take them different directions for now ; but they will always come back together. In passage 2, a man describes his pain and feelings as his daughter leaves for college as they wait in the airport. “The frightened brain, the nervous will…” is a quote from Yvor Winters and it indicates the level of fear and where his mind is at with the changes he faces. It’s clear that when kids leave the nest it’s never easy; is it harder for the kid or the parent?
Comma and Semi-colon Rubric
Attribute |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Semi-Colon Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Semi-colons are used correctly in two instances to link two or more closely related independent clauses. |
The independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in one instance. |
The closely related independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in two instances. |
Semi-colons are not used. |
Comma Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Commas are used correctly in at least two instances to separate two closely related clauses when they are joined with a coordinating conjunction. |
There is no coordinating conjunction in one instance between two closely related clauses where a comma is being used. |
A comma is forgotten in two instances between two closely related clauses linked with a coordinating conjunction but used correctly at least once. |
Commas are not used to link two closely related clauses with a coordinating conjunction. |
Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Establishes an appropriate controlling idea which links the two passages. |
Has an unclear controlling idea |
The paragraph is a personal response. |
There is no controlling idea. |
Support for Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Supports the controlling idea with one direct detail from each passage. |
Supports the controlling idea with only one direct example or overly general information. |
The paragraph is a plot summary of each passage. |
Does not support the controlling idea with any information from the passages. |
Additional Comments: Don’t forget that you need a comma before all coordinating conjunctions. Your score would have been much higher if you would have remembered to use commas with coordinating conjunctions.
Developing 12/24
These two passages are similar in that they; both say that in everybody's life, they must decide what to do, and spread their wings and fly. Sometimes to improve yourself, you have to leave your parents, even thought they are a part of you, you grow and change. You are developing, growing wings, and there comes a time to move on. If you want to be your own person, you have to do it on your own, and not what everybody else is doing. You also have to take risks in life for you to get what you want. In the first passage, they didn't have anything, they were a discgrace.But when the sons got acepted in universities, both of the parents started crying and that shows that they have a strong bond and they came from being spit on to being respected. In the second passage,the daugthter is flying away from her dad, and he wrote a letter saying that even though they're far away from each other; he will still be in her heart. Both of the passages are similar in which they are talking about a strong bond between families and no matter how far they're going to be away from each other; they will always be in each others hearts.
Comma and Semi-colon Rubric
Attribute |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Semi-Colon Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Semi-colons are used correctly in two instances to link two or more closely related independent clauses. |
The independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in one instance. |
The closely related independent clauses are not closely related and do not need a semi-colon in two instances. |
Semi-colons are not used. |
Comma Usage
(Out of 6 points) |
Commas are used correctly in at least two instances to separate two closely related clauses when they are joined with a coordinating conjunction. |
There is no coordinating conjunction in one instance between two closely related clauses where a comma is being used. |
A comma is forgotten in two instances between two closely related clauses linked with a coordinating conjunction but used correctly at least once. |
Commas are not used to link two closely related clauses with a coordinating conjunction. |
Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Establishes an appropriate controlling idea which links the two passages. |
Has an unclear controlling idea |
The paragraph is a personal response. |
There is no controlling idea. |
Support for Controlling Idea
(Out of 6 points) |
Supports the controlling idea with one direct detail from each passage. |
Supports the controlling idea with only one direct example or overly general information. |
The paragraph is a plot summary of each passage. |
Does not support the controlling idea with any information from the passages. |
Additional Comments: Please see me after school to discuss this paper.