This chapter gives an overview of the writing process, where it includes the role of the writer, and considerations that are needed to teach English Language Learners using the four processes of language across the curriculum. These are ideas that all language teachers need to consider when teaching language.
After reading this chapter it made me realize how unfamiliar I am with writing assessments. Currently I use the holistic approach to rate my students using the LKSD Yugtun scoring guide. I have not scored my students writing analytically, and it is something I should begin doing, so my students and their parents can understand their strengths and weaknesses.
My weakness in assessments is writing, and I only follow the district prompts when I assess my students. Something that I need to do is to do a survey of their interests, and substitute the prompts used for the assessments. Another thing that I don’t do is implementing writing to other contents. I do this on and off for our Upingaurluta units, where I have my students write about what was taught, as well as their production in art.
I like figure 6.1 in page 143. Our LKSD Yugtun scoring guide doesn’t have the precise definition for each term. Most of my students fall on level 2 where they use the same vocabulary day after day. This lets me know that I need to teach them other vocabulary words, and post them on the wall. If I were to use this rubric, I would modify it to how my students write. Each year, in writing instruction, I share a writing sample to my students where I would like to see them in the end of the year. What I’ve learned from reading this chapter, I need to have a rubric of my expectations, instead of having my students guess where I want them to be.
I also rarely have the students share their writings with their peers. The only thing I do is to have an emergent writer help a struggling writer when they’ve completed their work. Sometime, I would like to teach my students to begin doing is to review their work with each other, instead of my instruction to be teacher-centered.
cm's - Butler and OMalley
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Butler, F.A. & Stevens, R. (2001). Standardized assessment of the content
knowledge of English language learners’ k-12: Current trends and old
dilemmas. La...
15 years ago
2 comments:
Carol,
I appreciated reading your self analysis on writing assessment. You suggested some important ideas such as student survey to replace district prompts with those that are important to your students' lives. I also like the idea of helping them add more vocabulary to their writing.
Thanks for sharing,
Marilee
Hi Naniruaq. I also use other students to help struggling writers. I noticed that most students are willing to share their writing when other students volunteer first. There's strength in numbers. Sounds like Writing is more of a challenge as it is with me. For me it's harder to teach and even more of a challenge to assess. We will get there, just need to try some things that are new and be open to change. Keep up the good work.
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