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| INSTRUCTION TOOLKIT: Assessment for Informing Teaching |
| Observation � Informal observation is a useful form of assessment that is often overlooked. Useful assessment can be achieved through informal observation. Teachers and tutors can attend to what writers do individually and as groups during each stage of the writing process. Pay attention to attitude, participation, how much time the student spends putting pencil to paper versus ruminating, and what kind of resources the student access to help them with their writing. Also attend to the type of interaction students engage in about each other�s writing. How meaningful is the feedback, and do the students stay on task? Informal observation, especially observation about student attitude is a useful tool for guiding instruction as an unmotivated writer is often lacking a meaningful assignment. An observation log of anecdotes and/or conferencing topics provides documentation for informal observation. |
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| Conferences - In addition to being a REVISON TOOL for writers, Conferences are also a tool to help the teacher evaluate instruction. Conferences can be conducted in the context of one piece of writing or for reviewing a writing portfolio. Both product and process topics can be addressed in conferences. |
| Self Evaluation � The teacher can evaluate him/herself and the instruction s/he provides. Evaluation should be directed toward strategies students need, rather than content of the lessons. The teacher can also become more aware of how the writing process works by asking him/herself about strategies he/she uses during various stages of the process. Questions for the teachers to ask of their instruction are: |
| State and National Standards
Nearly every state in the U.S. has devised achievement standards to guide curriculum development and identify expected learning outcomes across the curriculum for grades K-12. Similar efforts have been made in most industrialized countries around the world, for example, The British National Curriculum in England. Attempts have also been made to standardize expected learning outcomes internationally i.e. the International Baccalaureate Program. Examination of standards from different sources reveals only minor differences in addition to allowance for language and terminology variance. In every case, the published standards follow a developmental progression of skills acquisition. In most cases, the published standards also reflect a foundation of acknowledged research in best practice instruction.
For example, in the curriculum domain of language arts instruction, standards outlined in Texas� TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) trace the progressive development of student performance in both writing product and writing process. The standards also reflect the oral language foundation of both reading and writing as well as the extension of literacy skills to encompass aspects of media literacy. And they include reflection one�s own writing and the writing of others. All of these targeted skills are elements of best practice in writing instruction. Many teachers experience such standards as a restrictive force that narrows their instruction. However, they can be an invaluable tool for guiding, evaluating and expanding instruction when their origins are understood and they are used appropriately. Effective use of state and national standards include: -- benchmarks for measuring individual student development -- point of reference for students to reflect on their growth in learning -- link for students to make connections between today�s classroom and tomorrow�s graduation -- link between a learning activity and the learning that takes place -- focus for objectives in a learning activity -- link between a teacher�s instruction and public accountability -- refocus teaching strategies on developmental skills rather than production of a single product -- point of comparison for classroom teaching to highlight neglected skill areas |
| The Internet - Isolation from a writing community is one of the unique challenges in the non-traditional education setting overseas. However, technology is a valuable tool that can help to remediate the problem. When students have access to the internet, they step into a world wide writing community that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How to Use the Internet to Expand your Writing Community - See Lesson Plans on Web Resources page |
| Sample Curriculum Standards for State Texas : TEKS Pennsylvania National & International British National Curriculum New Zealand National Curriculum Framework International Baccalaureate Standards for International English English has many different variations around the world. This site defines the concept of International English and offers an introduction to the issues involved in determining the appropriate variant of English for instruction. http://www.answers.com/topic/international-english Chart for finding Grade Equivalence between different National Education Systems Under development � not available My versions of the TEKS for Writing Instruction reorganized to highlight developmental nature of the Texas� state standards. Middle School High School |
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| Tompkins (1994) |
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| Bratcher (1994), Tompkins (1994), Routman (2005) |
| Murray (1982), Puhr & Workman (1992), Routman (2005) |
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| Freedman (1995 |
| Edwards (2000), Galley (2000), Wolfe, Wolfe & Carpenter (2002) |
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| For what purposes are students writing?
Who are the audiences for their writing? Am I giving students choices in what they write? Are they writhing in a variety of forms in all content areas? How am I helping them understand and use the writing process?\ What direct instruction am I providing? How am I using literature to inspire and model good writing? How am I helping students understand how conventions affect meaning? Questions are from Marino (1997) in Bromley (1999) |
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