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Reading Teachers Chatboard

Grading writing

by Joan

Jul 25, 2011

How do you grade writing for third graders? I have to put a grade on their report cards for writing. I am a special education so these are students who have trouble writing. I am reporting on their goals, but as for a number grade, how do you get that? Any ideas.

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Mark Pennington Excellent question. Here's my thought. We should grade based upon how well students have met our instructional objectives. Because each writer is at a different place, we begin at that place and evaluate the degree to which the student has learned and applied that learning, in terms of effort and achievement.

For example, here my be an ef...See MoreExcellent question. Here's my thought. We should grade based upon how well students have met our instructional objectives. Because each writer is at a different place, we begin at that place and evaluate the degree to which the student has learned and applied that learning, in terms of effort and achievement.

For example, here my be an effective procedure:

1. Diagnostically assess all students' writing abilities vis a vis a *writing sample that addresses the Common Core State Standard writing task. An on-demand writing task would suffice. Grade on an analytical rubric tied to that content standard and the complementary writing process standards. No holistic rubric-teachers need to isolate the diagnostic variables. Share this data with students and parents. Set goals. Record the scores on a class recording matrix.

*Note: One size does not fit all, so each content standard would necessitate a separate diagnostic assessment.

2. Select a writing task similar to the diagnostic assessment and teach (whole class)the key writing content and skills necessitated by the writing task. Brainstorming, accessing/building prior knowledge (some KWL, anticipation guides, class discussion, video clips), and modeled pre-writing would make sense.

3.Plan differentiated instruction in terms of the writing task/expectations for each student by analyzing the data on the class recording matrix. For example, modify the writing prompt, require fewer sentences/body paragraphs, require fewer direct quotes, require fewer citations. Obviously, these modifications will vary according to grade level. Implement differentiated instruction in targeted skill groups based upon the data on the class recording matrix.

3. The students complete their rough draft with concurrent student-teacher mini-conferences a la Writer's Workshop. Re- teaching via mini-lessons.

4. Upon completion, respond to the rough drafts with specific e-comments. Whether the students are composing on the computer or on paper, it makes sense for the teacher to use cut and paste comments to direct student writing revision. On computers, Microsoft Word bubble comments are great. On paper, printing the comments for each student works well. The link below offers a free download of 438 writing comments, appropriate for teachers of fourth graders on up. Your third graders may benefit, as well. The comments tell students what and why they need to revise with definitions of terms and examples. Save time and do a better job with writing response by using this tool.

4. The students complete their tasked revisions (per the e- comments) with concurrent student-teacher mini-conferences ala writer's workshop.

5. Either end the writing task after the revision stage or move on to the editing stage to the final draft. Of course, provide culminating publishing opportunities at this unfinished or finished stage.

6. Grade the revised or final draft as a formative assessment on the same analytical rubric as that of the diagnostic assessment and enter the data on the class recording matrix.

7. Assign the final grade (or points) based upon two measures: first, the degree to which the student revised the rough draft according to your e-comment responses (effort); second, the improvement in scores from the diagnostic to the formative assessment (achievement), as indicated on the class recording matrix. Both are certainly quantifiable, for example 9/10 adequate revisions and a net gain of say 8 points from a 48 diagnostic to a 56 formative assessment score. Or why not just give them all A's? With this kind of instruction, they will all have earned top scores.

Jul 27, 2011

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beachy While Mr. Pennington has some excellent theory, it appears he isn't familiar with Special Ed 3rd graders who have deficits in writing. I've included some of my advice below his points.

On 7/27/11, Mark Pennington wrote: > Excellent question. Here's my thought. We should grade based > upon how well students have met our instructional...See More