CANTON -- A SUNY Canton faculty member has published new research that can help high school educators better prepare students for higher education.

Assistant Professor Eunjyu Yu’s study, titled “Ready for College? What College Students Have to Say about Their High School English Experiences,” was published in the August issue of English Leadership Quarterly.

“In Assistant Professor Yu’s publication, she addresses the growing national phenomenon of helping students better prepare for their transition from high school to college,” said Interim SUNY Canton President Carli C. Schiffner. “Her work fits well within SUNY’s overall ‘cradle to career’ views and will assist in our college’s retention efforts.”

Yu surveyed first-year students about their high-school English classes for her research. She found that students liked being challenged by their teachers, exploring multiple writing techniques and reading a variety of literature, using video and multimedia materials.

“Since an educational system is ecologically linked from primary education up to higher education, I needed to understand the effectiveness of high school literacy programs from the perspective of high school graduates to develop effective literacy pedagogy for my own students,” Yu said.

She pointed out that little research exists that addresses how effectively a high school English class prepares students for academic reading and writing at college. She said those she surveyed would like more hands-on practice with writing.

Yu offers possible solutions to better prepare young adults, including establishing a stronger link between classroom learning and “real life,” by encouraging students to apply what they learn to their careers or personal lives.

English Leadership Quarterly is published by the National Council of Teachers of English, and is aimed at department chairs, K-12 supervisors and other leaders in their role of improving English instruction.