"This isn't good enough."
"Please improve this part here."
"Can you please write more."
Believe it or not, some teachers actually say similar things to students. When we want students to be able to improve their writing, especially we need to be ultra-specific in the feedback we are offering them. Instead of being vague, or saying that writing lacks description, depth, or length we need to constantly funnel students back to the traits of effective writing that we've been teaching them. This is no different when considering writing on the ELA exam. It is logical and formulaic, and with the write amount of focused, structured guided practice, students will be penning perfect short answer and extended responses in no time.
Below is a list, based on potential student weaknesses in ELA writing, of actual feedback we can give them. For their writing score on the exam, students are graded holistically, based on all the writing they do, measured across 4 criteria of quality:
- FOCUS
- ELABORATION
- STRUCTURE
- VOICE/VOCABULARY
One last thing to think about: When reading your students' writing, begin to look for trends. Align the trends that you see with specific feedback points from the menu below. Trends that you see throughout a class can become mini-lessons. Trends that you pick up on among groups of students can turn into small group discussions. And, lastly, trends within individuals' writing can lead to targeted one-on-one conferences.
Enjoy!
For a perfect FOCUS score:
I’ve planned my response.
I’ve read the directions.
I’ve restated the question.
I’ve answered the question immediately.
I have a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.
I have just one idea in each paragraph.
I’ve continued one “strain” throughout my response.
I’ve looked over my finished work.
For a perfect ELABORATION score:
I’ve used examples from the text.
I show, and don’t just tell.
I don’t repeat any ideas. None of my ideas are repeated.
I’ve offered background information to set the stage.
I’ve revised my sentences for to add description.
I’ve used transitional language to improve the “flow”.
For a perfect STRUCTURE score:
I can recognize the required structure / genre.
I’ve written an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
I’ve used the introduction or topic sentence to answer the question and summarize main points.
I’ve used the body to support or explain my introduction.
Each of my body paragraphs has its own topic sentence.
I’ve used my conclusion to sum up AND make the reader think.
I’ve used transition words, like “Next…” and “First…”.
All of my ideas are sequenced so that they make sense.
I’ve indented all of my paragraphs.
I’ve used end marks to end all of my sentences.
For a perfect VOICE/VOCABULARY score:
I’ve used important words from the passage.
I’ve written in “Testing English”
I’ve used descriptive words and modifiers.
I’ve used transition words that give meaning, like “However…” and “Nevertheless…”
I’ve used basic figurative language, like similes and personification.
I’ve made clear my own voice and personality.
