Writing as Survival: Uncovering How Students Understand Antiracist Writing Assessment Practices in the Community College Composition Classroom

<p>The theory and practice of antiracist writing assessment ecologies (Inoue and Poe, 2020) emerged as a way to address and counteract the white, middle-class language norms that have dominated ethnically and linguistically diverse writing classrooms since at least the 1960s. Though social-justice and equity-focused teaching practices have emerged to empower ethnically and linguistically diverse students, writing studies scholars have observed the notion of Standard English or “academic language” still persists and privileges white, middle-class ways of languaging (Greenfield, 2011; Elbow, 2012; Inoue, 2014; Baker-Bell, 2020). At best, students of ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds learn they must code-switch for writing assessments in order to receive high grades. At worst, these students experience disproportionately higher failures rates in K-16. Because writing assessments are the site where a student’s writing labor is given an explicit value, Inoue (2014) theorized that addressing a classroom's writing assessment ecology, an interconnected system of seven traits, would help improve equity outcomes for students. Although there is an emerging body of empirical research on the impact of antiracist writing assessment ecologies, more research is needed on students’ perspectives and how these practices impact students’ understanding of language, writing, writing identity, and their identity as scholars. The purpose of this study was to uncover community college students’ perspectives and experiences with antiracist assessment practices and uncover their effect on students’ understanding of language, writing, and writing identity. By centering this research on the voices of ethnically diverse students who attended a Southern California community college where the English faculty participated in antiracist assessment ecology workshops, this study offered important insights into the implementation of antiracist assessment ecologies. In this phenomenological qualitative study, I completed 20 semi-structured interviews with community college students from diverse racial and linguistic backgrounds, who all took English with a professor who participated in antiracist assessment ecology workshops. I asked participants about their experiences and perspectives on culturally authentic and academic ways of writing in their English class. The research revealed three findings. First, participants described a sharp contrast between the formulaic, standardized assessment practices of their K-12 education and the more culturally affirming, student-centered environments of their college English course. Second, participants reported how antiracist assessment practices built a strong pedagogical infrastructure in the classroom, grounded in a strong sense of classroom community and intellectual safety. Third, participants expressed feelings of empowerment, as they felt more seen, valued, and worthy to share their authentic voices – experiences that reshaped their understanding of writing, and themselves as writers and students. The dissertation offers implications for research, policy, and practice of antiracist assessment ecologies in the classroom. Based on the responses from participants, this study highlighted the importance for K-12 schools and higher education institutions to engage in ongoing reflection about how antiracist writing practices can challenge dominant linguistic norms and promote equity in institutional settings. The findings have implications for instructors, departments, and policymakers aiming to cultivate more just and inclusive educational environments. By foregrounding student perspectives, this dissertation affirms the critical role of antiracist assessment in shaping educational access, identity, and success for ethnically and linguistically diverse students.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Education, PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

School of Educational Studies

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Torres-Rangel, Jason

Contributors dc:contributor

• Frances Marie Gipson
• Samara Suafo’a

• Antiracist
• Classrooms
• Community College
• Students
• Teachers
• Writing Assessment
• Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1008

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:cgu_etd-2030