Assessing Writing
From the desk of Carol C…
Recently I’ve noticed in many classrooms where writing seems to have taken a back seat to reading and math. The reason, I think, is that school systems and the state have emphasized these two subjects more than any others. However, the performance tasks in the Common Core exemplars are centered around writing. The tasks focus on content, but they require extensive writing in order to completely cover the topic and explain your ideas clearly to a reader. The Common Core include a whole set of standards related to writing. Even more importantly an emphasis should be put on teaching writing because the better we write the better we think. Effective writing requires writers to analyze their ideas and synthesize information.
One of the early steps in figuring out what writing to teach is to address the issue of assessment. Assessment points out areas that need to be addressed and areas that students can draw on to support their weaker ones. Assessing writing for many teachers is a vague concept that usually boils down to “Do I like it or not?”. However there are specific areas to look for in written works. Below are the major components of pieces of writing.
Meaning-Intention. What is the author intending for the reader to understand after reading the piece of writing? The author must get the meaning across to the reader or the piece is completely ineffective. It must be clear what the author is trying to convey whether it be a fiction or nonfiction work.
Genre-Papers need to reflect the characteristics of the genre they are using for their piece. If a student is writing a tall tale then you would expect her to create a character that has a super human ability. The story would contain lots of exaggeration, too. Persuasive writing must state the opinion of the writer, contain substantial reasons that support the opinion, and evidence vocabulary that can convince the reader to agree with the her. Effective writers must understand the characteristics of specific genres.
Style-When you are looking at the style of writing you are looking for such things as openings and closings that guide the reader toward making meaning of the text and transitions that lead to a smooth move between scenes or events. Style, also, refers to being able to expand important parts of the writing piece and shorten less important parts. (For instance a story about seeing a real brown bear for the first time does not need to include getting out of bed, eating breakfast, and getting dressed. If the author does include these details they need to be a small part of the whole piece. The events listed above would only be included if they influenced the events in the story.) This expansion or lessening of sections is in part dictated by the genre. The piece follows the same format as the genre on which it is based.
Details-Every piece of writing must contain details that support the opinion of the writer or expand the meaning of the story. The details must be relevant and important parts of the writing. This is an area that usually needs the most work in a piece of writing. It is difficult to teach writers what details to include and how to expand on them. Think about books you have read. Do some of them include paragraphs or chapters that you feel are unnecessary. A strong vocabulary to paint a more vivid picture is usually evident in the details, also.
Voice-This is a difficult one for many teachers to assess. Voice means that the reader gets a sense of who the writer is. The author has chosen particular punctuation and words that reveal who she is as a writer. With students in your class that have a sense of voice you will be able to say, “Oh, that’s Mary’s voice. I can hear her saying that.”
Conventions-Conventions are what one teacher called “manners for the reader”. They include punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. These are the little things that amount to big things which help the reader understand what the writer is saying. Proper conventions enable the reader to understand the piece without working so hard to figure out what the writer is saying; hence, manners for the reader. What level of expectation are appropriate for your students? Refer to the CC for your grade level.
To guide you in your assessment of writing pieces, create a rubric or find one online that fits your “what is good writing” beliefs. Use the CC as a guide, also. You certainly may add to what the CC says, but your rubric should include everything in the CC for your grade level and possibly those grade levels below. Look at several different rubrics and writing books if you need help with descriptors of the rankings 1-4.
Assessment is vital to growing writers. Assessment gives you a clearer picture of areas of strength and areas that still need work. Also, it can show you where the class may by strong or weak. These two pieces of information will help you pinpoint mini lessons for small and whole group settings.
Don’t forget that you need to write yourself. So what if you see yourself as a poor writer? All writers can grow if they work at it…even writers who are paid for their work. Write, revise, and compare your piece to the rubric. This will give you an idea of what areas you may want to center in on in your writing. Writing ourselves helps us to become better writing teachers as we understand the process on a deeper level when we experience it on our own. Happy writing!