Transitional English:
- Improves students’ postsecondary persistence and attainment by building on students’ experiential and academic knowledge to develop skills in reading, critical thinking and analysis, and writing that will enhance their success in college-level courses across majors and career pathways.
- Draws on students’ interests and provides choice to help prepare students for college and/or career readiness.
- Focuses on growth over the entire course through scaffolding, gradual increase of depth and rigor, and the opportunity to receive feedback, reflect, and revise work multiple times.
Students should be advised to enroll in this course if they plan to enroll in a certificate or degree track that includes a college composition course, if they plan to enter an apprenticeship program, or if they enter the workforce directly.
Best Fit Profile for Schools and Students
The following provide guidance for how to determine the best fit for your school and student placement.
Student Profile
Transitional English is a good fit for most high school seniors who are not enrolled in an early college literacy course (e.g., AP, IB, dual credit, or dual enrollment). The class is designed to accelerate learning with the goal of providing students with the requisite skills for “day one” success in college-level courses.
Students should be advised to enroll in this course if they plan to enroll in a certificate or degree track that includes a college composition course.
Accommodations may be provided to support student access to the course (see below).
School Profile
Transitional English is a good fit for most schools. This course is designed to help schools improve students’ postsecondary persistence and attainment by building on students’ experiential and academic knowledge to develop skills in reading, critical thinking and analysis, and writing that will enhance their success in college-level courses across majors and career pathways.
Transitional English should be offered to seniors in addition to an early college literacy course (e.g., AP, IB, dual credit, or dual enrollment) so that students can choose the option that best fits their interests and postsecondary plans.
The curriculum for this course includes a deep focus on reading, writing, and feedback cycles, and a co-taught model can support greater focus on small group instruction and conferencing
Eligibility Guidance for Administrators, Teachers, and Counselors
Are there specific scores or grades students should have to take transitional English?
The goal for the transitional English class is for each student to graduate from college and be career-ready in reading, writing, and critical thinking and analysis. Transitional English is an appropriate class for students who are striving for this readiness and are not enrolled in an early college literacy course (e.g., AP, IB, dual credit, dual enrollment). High schools may consider multiple measures via the Statewide Placement Framework – GPA, SAT EBRW, ACT English – as well as the student’s demonstration of reading, writing, and critical thinking and analysis skills in prior English classes and cross-disciplinary courses.
What are the benefits of a transitional English course?
- Save time and money, through placement* into college-level coursework that has college reading and writing readiness as a prerequisite.
- Students build on their experiential and academic knowledge by integrating reading, critical thinking and analysis, writing, and student and career-related skills in order to enhance students’ success in future college-level courses and career pathways.
- Real-world applications and engagement with complex informational texts help students identify their place within groups, communities, and the world, promote self-discovery, and uncover paths for the future.
- Upon successful completion of transitional English, students have valid portability (placement into credit-bearing English at the postsecondary level) for up to three years after graduation.
- Transitional English promotes equity and access for all students to postsecondary and workforce opportunities.
*Placement at all Illinois community colleges and participating four-year colleges and universities.
Are accommodations allowed?
Accommodations may be provided to support student access to the course. For example, some students may receive additional opportunities to rewrite, receive extended time, or be allowed to use graphic organizers and sentence stems. However, the rigor or rubric for the unit-level assessment should generally not be changed. In general, tests may not be selected or administered in a way that tests the disability rather than the achievement or aptitude of the individual. In addition, federal law requires changes to the testing conditions that are necessary to allow a student with a disability to participate as long as the changes do not fundamentally alter the examination or create undue financial or administrative burdens.
Examples of Transitional English Students
Student A…
- Has an IEP and has been enrolled in co-taught English for the last 3 years.
- Plans to continue their education at the collegiate level.
- Requires additional explanation and graphic organizers to start work, but is capable of completing the required work without modifications to the assessments.
- Requires additional time, but is self-aware and able to self-advocate for support.
Student B…
- Is a general education student.
- Wants to go to college but does not feel comfortable with writing and critical thinking skills.
- Could use the extra support and practice provided in a transitional English class.
Student C…
- Is a general education student.
- Plans to work at their family business upon high school graduation and eventually run the business.
- Identifies reading comprehension as a struggle.
- Wants a course that will prepare them to run a business rather than college work.
Transitional English prepares students for the workforce by developing essential transferable skills through opportunities for group work, organizational skills, writing, critical thinking, and analysis of non-fiction texts. The course allows for student choice and attention to their interests.
Student D…
- Is a general education student.
- Is uncertain of plans upon graduation.
- Wants a class that is interesting and will be useful in life.
Portability for transitional English is valid for up to three years after high school graduation. The course allows for student choice and attention to their interests. Transitional English prepares students for public citizenship, the workforce, and college by developing essential transferable skills through opportunities for group work, organizational skills, critical thinking, and analysis of non-fiction reading.
Student E…
- Is a multi-lingual general education student.
- Plans to attend college.
- Self-identifies confidence issues with reading comprehension and sharing writing with others.
- Requires reassessment opportunities and extra time for reading and writing tasks, but understands the additional effort required.