Placement of multilingual writers: Is there a role for student voices?

Abstract

Abstract Directed Self-Placement (DSP) is one placement model that has been implemented in various composition programs in the U.S. but has yet to be investigated thoroughly in second language writing settings. Central to DSP is the belief that, if students are given agency to help determine their educational trajectory, they will be empowered and more motivated to succeed (Crusan, 2011; Royer & Gilles, 1998). In this study, 1067 university L2 students completed both a voluntary self-assessment survey and the locally administered placement examination. We statistically compared the students’ placement exam scores and their responses to the final question as to which level of a four-course writing program they thought would best meet their needs. We also examined a stratified random sample of 100 students’ standardized test scores to see if there was a statistical relationship between those tests, our locally designed and administered placement test, and students’ own self-placement scores. We conclude that student self-assessment might have a legitimate role in our placement process, but it probably cannot be used by itself to accurately place large numbers of multilingual students into a four-level sequence.