On “Proficiency” by Shannon Nicholls
This is your first Conversation post. Please review instructions for Conversation, and start writing.
Answer 4-6 of the questions below:
- How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
- How does the author feel about standardized tests?
- Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
- If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
- Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
- How do you feel about your writing abilities?
Support your answers with evidence (at least 1 quote + 1 example) from the text and reply to at least 1 classmate.
3 thoughts on “Conversation 1: Literacy Narrative”
Lucian Benjamin
1/29/2024
How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
I would say that Sharon Nichols has confidence in her writing abilities; this is shown when she says “I told myself the people grading the tests didn’t have the slightest clue about what constituted good writing”. This clearly represents that she has a lack of confidence in her standardized test taking abilities more than her actual writing abilities. I feel the same way I remember studying for SAT’s and it was one of the most demoralizing experiences I have had with education, I fortunately never had to take them because I graduated during covid.
How does the author feel about standardized tests?
I would say Sharon Nichols appears to be pretty neutral about standardized testing because she seems to have passed all the other sections well and only struggled on this specific subject. This is reinforced when she says “Although the test was challenging, covering reading, writing, math, and citizenship, I was sure I had passed every part. To my surprise, I did pass every part –except writing”
Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
Sharon Nichols was always a skilled writer even dating back to middle school, she would always do well in class and constantly found herself even on honors. She eventually had to take her 8th grade proficiency test and utterly failed at the writing section. This instilled a strong disbelief in herself that she was not a capable writer. She eventually recognized that this is more a matter of the standardized testing structure and not her actual writing abilities. She was even able to get straight A’s in her writing courses and got one of her poems shown on TV. She was able to regain her confidence in her writing after she ultimately passed the test but she never looked at writing the same. “Until that time, I loved writing just as much as I loved math. It was one of my strengths. I was good at it, and I enjoyed it.” This summarizes the point of what I am writing pretty well.
If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?” I
would tell her that maybe she has to adjust what she is studying for. She is not studying to write an essay but rather to take a standardized test and the method to approach that is entirely different. And to also not let it get to her and continue to keep studying. “Failing the second time made things worse, so perhaps to protect myself from my doubts, I stopped taking English seriously”
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
I would say I feel pretty confident in my writing abilities, but I have always struggled with procrastination so I think that has always hampered the quality of my work. I believe if I just sit down and really do the work and go over it, I can write a strong essay. I connect with Sharon Nichols with this essay because I always let bad grades kill my will to keep trying in school and even though she did do well she clearly lost her motivation after her poor performance on her proficiency test.
1. How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
• In the beginning of “Proficiency” the author had mention how she had great confidence on her academic skills and a great writer. Until she took the Ohio’s standardized writing proficiency test and failed writing test twice, made Shannon second guess how proficient her writing skills were. Leaving her feeling doubtful.
2. How does the author feel about standardized tests?
• Shannon Nichols found the standardized test challenging.
3. Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
• Shannon enjoyed writing, was an A student in her classes. Her family, friends, and teacher enjoyed her writing also. Shannon even had her poem in TV once. When she failed the standardize writing proficiency test twice
4. If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
• I would have told Shannon that she is a great write that’s why she is getting grade A’s in class. However, standardize test has detailed structure and it can be †he smallest reasons why points were taken out of her writing section of her proficiency test.
5. Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
• Yes, I have taken this ENG101 class more than twice, I believe it’s more because I haven’t been prioritizing writing with more thought and time to make m writing as efficient.
6. How do you feel about your writing abilities?
• I am confident that I can express myself in writing. But I am not as confident on my grammar or spelling if I am not using Microsoft Word or any spelling/grammar check. Or sticking to a certain format on how the writing should be designed to.
1. How does the author feel about her writing abilities? The author feels so frustrated about her writing abilities. She said, “ To my surprise, I did pass every part- except writing.” This is because she carried through a lot due to her repeated failure in the writing part of the proficiency test. She decided to quit trying so hard for the proficiency test. She lost her confidence in how strong she was at reading and writing as an honor roll student in the class.
How does the author feel about standardized tests? The writer shared her perspective on standardized tests, drawing attention to her encounters with them. She noted the potential for discrepancies in evaluating written work and how the grader’s skill level may not necessarily align with what constitutes strong writing. Additionally, she voiced her frustration with the lack of feedback provided to students who do not pass the test. Despite these obstacles, she recognizes the published results as the definitive assessment of one’s English writing proficiency, an essential factor in determining eligibility for a high school diploma. Despite her challenges, she remained disciplined, capable, and conscientious.
Retell the author’s journey as a writer. The author’s journey as a writer has been filled with ups and downs. She describes her story of a proficiency writing test in the middle school where she first took it. She was a strong student, always on the honor roll. Despite getting A’s in all her English classes, she failed the writing part of the proficiency test twice, which made her doubt her writing abilities, and she decided to quit trying so hard. She now believes that the people who graded her test didn’t have the slightest clue about what constituted good writing. She felt confused and had disappointed her family. It makes her seriously let down, and she can’t figure out what exactly she is doing wrong in the proficiency exam. She started to doubt herself that she no longer loved the reading and writing part in the English class. Now, she is not taking the class seriously because of what she is going through. She fell behind in her senior year grade proficiency test and was placed in development writing in college. Therefore, she realized that if she had written what was expected on the second exam, she could have easily carried on her enthusiasm for writing and continued to do better in the future.
If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you do when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
If I were Mrs. Brown, I would reassure the author that standardized tests do not define her abilities. I would encourage her to continue writing and improving her skills and not be disheartened by the test results, as it’s tested by those who are not read with open perspectives.
Has there been a time when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain. Yes, there have been times when I doubted my writing abilities. It usually happens when I receive negative feedback or when I compare my work with others. In my high school English class, I always tried to be proficient and competent in my exams or assignments. However, one of my mid-term exams made me so frustrated that I couldn’t hold my confidence in my excellent writing skills. I always cried with my long journey as a student. My Teacher, Ms.Lamour, said you can’t pass the final exam if you don’t improve your writing. So, that time, I dedicated myself as a working student to do my best in class, and finally, I got some great feedback from class Teachers. It encourages me a lot that I try to use these moments as opportunities to learn and improve myself on the path of my journey in education.
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
I believe I’m very creative about my writing abilities. I am confident that writing is a skill that can be improved with practice, practice, and practice and a pure dedication in regular writing.