20+ years

Posted on 11/08/09

On 11/03/09, TrishW wrote:
> I'd like to know how others grade paragraphs and essays. I
> am teaching a high school Spanish class for homeschoolers
> for the first time.
>
> I thought of assigning a total point value and then docking
> a quarter point for each missing accent and spelling
> mistake and one point for incorrect verb conjugation. Any
> other thoughts on this? Thanks in advance!

I don't -1 for every mistake. It's too misleading. If a
student misspells tiene 5 times, it's a half a grade for 1 word.

This works better for me and the students:

Set up a rubric with your instructional goals from your
curriculum:

Student is able to express:

1) a person's age using correct form of tener and number
2) a person's origen using correct form of ser and de
3) a person's physical description using correct form of ser
and correct adjective forms

Then to the right, check if the essay shows mastery (perfect),
proficient (minor, random error), developing (good structure,
repeated mistake), not evident (student has no clue what
they're writing and the text is incohesive).

Then average your checks and score based on 4 being mastery
(student has mastered the instructional goals). 3 being
proficient (student could basically self-corrrect without being
retaught). 2 Needs review 0-1 Needs reteaching.

Then, go back and reteach those who need it, have your 4's
review with your 2's. Make the 3's do a final draft.

For me, assessment has little to do with coming up with a
grade. It has more to do with coming up with an instructional
plan.

Multiply by whatever points you need, or weigh the grade.

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