- Whereas factoring attendance, effort, homework exercises* or participation into grades distorts the measurement of student progress on learning outcomes; whereas CEA standards make a distinction between more objective measurements of language proficiency and the qualitative reporting of student effort, be it therefore resolved that effective September 1, 2014 ELI faculty members will no longer include attendance, effort, homework exercises, or classroom participation in the calculation of any grades in skill areas and that all syllabi be adjusted, if need be, to reflect this change in policy. *For the purposes of this resolution, a distinction is made between exercises designed to help a student practice material addressed in class (e.g., completion of worksheets or textbook/online exercises) and assignments that (1) can be directly linked to learning outcomes and (2) assessed in such a way as to measure student progress toward meeting learning outcomes (e.g., such as asking students to write an original paragraph incorporating the use of a newly learned verb tense studied in class or recording an audio file of discourse focusing on the production and incorporation of linking and reduced forms).
(Approved July 30, 2014) - Whereas attendance and punctuality are important for the students’ success and whereas good study habits should be stressed in order to promote a better learning environment for all, be it resolved that attendance and punctuality—along with assignment completion, engagement/interaction, and behavior/respect–be criteria for determining the effort score.
- Whereas effort grades are important for retention/dismissal decisions, for reporting to sponsors, for eligibility for scholarships, and for encouraging students to work harder in class; whereas it is important that students understand the criteria teachers use for arriving at effort grades; whereas it is important that the determination of effort grades be fair and consistent across class sections and class levels while also maintaining a holistic approach for scoring, be it therefore resolved that the ELI faculty adopt and use the attached Effort Grade Rubric, to be used in all classes taught in the Institute.
- Whereas students should be apprised of the individual scores on which their final grades are based; whereas students should be able to view their grades-to-date at midsession and all of their individual grades at the end of session to track their progress and verify the accuracy of their academic records; be it therefore resolved that effective September 1, 2014, all faculty members will provide each of their students a view of their individual grades and effort scores at both the midpoint and conclusion of each session of study.
- Whereas an effort score of 3 is seen as an unsatisfactory score and whereas this score may have negative repercussions should a student receive it, be it resolved that a teacher should be prepared to explain to a student the reason such a score was given and to provide that explanation in writing to the Committee on Student Conduct and attendance when one of his or her students is being considered for dismissal.
- Whereas students are expected to conclude a course of study with stronger skills than they possessed at the onset of the course; whereas students should be rewarded for skills attained by the end of a session and not penalized for weaker scores earned on language assessments during the beginning weeks of a session; be it therefore resolved that faculty members will weight graded assignments earned during the last half of an academic session at least twice that of those earned during the first half, effective no later than January 1, 2015.
- Whereas the accuracy of course grade calculations are imperative for the accurate decisions regarding promotion, retention, matriculation, and the awarding of incomplete grades; whereas the use of weighting to record scores earned in the last half of the session as well as final tests has made grade calculations more complicated and thus prone to error; whereas students and sponsors expect grades to be calculated through a consistent, fair, and accurate process, be it therefore resolved that ELI will adopt grading software recommended by the Technology Committee in consultation with the ELI Registrar and approved by the faculty to be used by all ELI faculty members effective January 1, 2015.
