Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners Chapter 6: Writing Assessment
Since my class is an advanced placement writing class, I deal with writing assessment more than anything. I can't say that I had a lot of aha's reading the chapter, but I did feel that it was congruent to what I've been taught previously, and very similar to the way I teach and assess writing.
No matter what level writers I have, I always spend time teaching and re-teaching the writing process. I teach my students how scoring rubrics are used, and we use them over and over in different situations. I feel the students must see some exemplars before they are expected to know what proficient writing "looks like." I like doing writing as mini-lessons or workshops. I agree with the chapter that feedback is very important. Also teaching students how to give each other feedback is helpful for improving their own writing skills. Peer feedback/peer conferences seem to really help students with writing.
I love the idea of dialogue journals. I often have this type of "dialogue" with students over e-mail or otherwise, but this would keep the ongoing dialogue in one place, and the student would have a chance to see growth in their writing ability. This is something I'd like to implement next quarter.
Hear you all in class tomorrow!
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13 years ago
