Assessing Writing Jul 2024 Open Access

Influence of prior educational contexts on directed self-placement of L2 writers

Youmie J. Kim Syracuse University ; Matthew J. Hammill Syracuse University

Abstract

Directed self-placement (DSP) allows for student agency in writing placement. DSP has been implemented in many composition programs, although it has not been used as widely for L2 writers in higher education. This study investigates the relationship between student placement decisions and students’ prior educational backgrounds, particularly in relationship to whether they had attended an English-medium high school or an intensive English program (IEP). Actual placement results via an exam were compared to 804 students’ self-placement decisions and correlated with their prior educational backgrounds. Findings indicated that most students’ DSP decisions matched actual exam placement results. However, there was a large number of DSP decisions that were higher or lower than exam placement results. Additionally, the longer students studied at an English-medium instruction high school, the more likely they were to place themselves higher than their exam placement. We conclude that DSP can be used in L2 writing programs, but with careful attention to learners’ educational backgrounds, proficiency, and sense of identity.

Journal
Assessing Writing
Published
2024-07-01
DOI
10.1016/j.asw.2024.100870
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
OA PDF Hybrid
Topics
assessment multilingual writers
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (36) · 9 in this index

  1. Aull (2021)
    Directed Self-Placement: Subconstructs and group differences at a U.S. university
    Assessing Writing
  2. Bedore (2004)
    Informed self-placement: Is a choice offered a choice received? WPA
    Writing Program Administration
  3. Blakesley (2003)
    Southern Illinois University Carbondale as an institutional model: The English 100/101 st…
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  4. Cornell (2003)
    The case of a small liberal arts university: Directed self‐placement at DePauw
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  5. Costino (2007)
    A class for students like me: Reconsidering relationships among identity labels, residenc…
    Journal of Second Language Writing  ↗
Show all 36 →
  1. Crusan (2006)
    The politics of implementing online directed self-placement for second language writers
    The politics of second language writing: In search of the promised land
  2. Crusan (2011)
    The promise of directed self-placement for second language writers
    TESOL Quarterly  ↗
  3. DasBender (2012)
    Assessing generation 1.5 learners: The revelations of directed self-placement
    Writing assessment in the 21st century: Essays in honor of Edward M. White
  4. Ferris et al. (2017)
    Placement of multilingual writers: Is there a role for student voices?
    Assessing Writing
  5. Frus (2003)
    Directed self-placement at a large research university: A writing center perspective
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  6. Gere et al. (2010)
    Assessing the validity of directed self-placement at a large university
    Assessing Writing
  7. Harklau (1994)
    ESL versus mainstream classes: Contrasting L2 learning environments
    TESOL Quarterly  ↗
  8. Inoue (2011)
    Directed Self-Placement
    WPA-CompPile Research Bibliographies
  9. Johnson (2024)
    Directed self-placement for multilingual, multicultural international students
    Journal of Writing Assessment  ↗
  10. Kane (2006)
    Validation
    Educational measurement
  11. Kane (2013)
    Validating the interpretations and uses of test scores
    Journal of Educational Measurement  ↗
  12. Kane (2021)
    Articulating a validity argument
    In The Routledge handbook of language testing
  13. Ketai (2012)
    Race, remediation, and readiness: Reassessing the “self” in directed self-placement
    Race and writing assessment
  14. Kokhan (2013)
    An argument against using standardized test scores for placement of international undergr…
    Language Testing  ↗
  15. Kruger (1999)
    Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one’s own incompetence lead …
    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology  ↗
  16. Lewiecki-Wilson et al. (2000)
    Rhetoric and the writer's profile
    Assessing Writing
  17. Ma (2020)
    Ambitious and anxious: How Chinese college students succeed and struggle in American higher education
  18. Moos et al. (2019)
    Directed self-placement as a tool to foreground student agency
    Assessing Writing
  19. Neal (2003)
    Responding to directed self-placement
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  20. Nicolay (2002)
    Placement and instruction in context: Situating writing within a first-year program
    WPA: Writing Program Administration
  21. Ortmeier-Hooper (2008)
    “English May Be My Second Language, but I’m Not ‘ESL’”
    College Composition and Communication
  22. Reynolds (2003)
    The role of self-efficacy in writing and directed self-placement
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  23. Royer et al. (1998)
    Directed Self-Placement: An Attitude of Orientation
    College Composition and Communication
  24. Royer (2003)
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  25. Ruecker (2011)
    Improving the placement of L2 writers: The students’ perspective
    WPA: Writing Program Administration
  26. Schendel et al. (1999)
    Exploring the theories and consequences of self-assessment through ethical inquiry
    Assessing Writing
  27. Sinha (2022)
    Hearing them out: Student perspectives on placement into first-year writing at a Californ…
    The International Journal of Assessment and Evaluation  ↗
  28. Slomp (2016)
    Ethical considerations and writing assessment
    Journal of Writing Assessment
  29. Tompkins (2003)
    Directed self-placement in a community college context
    Directed self-placement: Principles and practices
  30. Toth (2019)
    Directed self-placement at two-year colleges: A kairotic moment
    Journal of Writing Assessment
  31. Toth et al. (2014)
    Directed self-placement questionnaire design: Practices, problems, possibilities
    Assessing Writing
CrossRef global citation count: 0 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Assessing Writing Jul 2026
    LAWE-CL2: Multi-agent LLM-based automated writing evaluation system integrating linguistic features with fine-tuning for Chinese L2 writing assessment ↗
    Xuelin Wang; Qihao Yang; Yuxin Hao; Zhijun Wang; Sijia Guo
    assessment artificial intelligence multilingual writers
  2. Assessing Writing Apr 2026
    How do L2 writing subskills interact hierarchically? Insights from diagnostic classification models ↗
    Farshad Effatpanah; Hamdollah Ravand; Mahmoud Abdi Tabari; Yi-Hsin Chen; Olga Kunina-Habenicht
    assessment multilingual writers grammar and mechanics
  3. Assessing Writing Apr 2026
    Pursuing fair writing assessment: Halo effects in primary school foreign language writing in grade six ↗
    Ruth Trüb; Julian Lohmann; Jens Möller; Stefan D. Keller
    assessment multilingual writers grammar and mechanics
  4. Assessing Writing Jan 2026
    The effects of online resource use on L2 learners’ computer-mediated writing processes and written products ↗
    Honglan Wang; Jookyoung Jung
    revision argument assessment digital rhetoric multilingual writers grammar and mechanics affect and writing
  5. Assessing Writing Jan 2026
    Verb-centric or balanced?: An NLP-based assessment of word class contributions to L2 writing proficiency ↗
    Hyunwoo Kim; Haerim Hwang
    assessment multilingual writers