Content-Area Writing
Chapter 10
Writing for Tests and Assessments
Darcey Helmick
EIWP 2013
Benefits of Essay Tests
•
•
Students can “develop and share their
thinking” instead of choosing the best
answer from a list (254).
Similar to math: show your work, not just the
end number
Drawbacks of Essay Tests
•
•
•
“Quality of information…will depend…on the
quality of the prompt and the ways we’ve
previously taught to approach them” (254).
Poorly written prompt
Students have no idea or practice answering
essay prompts
Limitations of Essay Tests
•
The test creates an "artificial situation"
(254).
o
o
•
Different from writing done on a daily basis
Students do not connect to the subject, so they
appear not to care (and, of course, sometimes they
don't)
The tasks will not be realistic
o
Little time for planning, revising, or editing
Limitations of Essay Tests
•
Audience is very limited
o
o
o
•
Teacher who already knows the material
Far removed stranger the students do not know
Playing tennis with a pro...you expect to lose
Only captures a moment in time
o Does not tell you what the student learned or already
knew
o Think portfolio or reflection
Limitations of Essay Tests
•
The prompt limits the students' answers
o
o
They answer the prompt but do not discuss what else
they know about the topic
They do not know, so the teacher gets "fake writing"
(aka BS) (255).
Better Essay Test Design
•
Focus on what should stay with students
long term
o
Aim for the HOTS on Bloom's Taxonomy
 Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation
o
Not just summarize/regurgitate material
o
"require students to support their ideas with
information from the material they've studied"
(257).
Better Essay Test Design
•
Make tests part of the learning process
o
o
•
Students outline responses to a question
For a take-home test, they "develop several body
paragraphs from the outline" (257).
Build in more time
o One teacher feels that "take-home tests, rather than
in-class writing, provides a better way to assess
students' analytical thinking and writing ability"
(257)
o Students have time to draft, revise, and edit
Better Essay Test Design
•
Use oral presentation to widen audience and
make writing a teaching activity
o
o
o
This connects the writing to an actual live audience
Can have a panel of adults but the rest of the class
will work
 The class should take notes or ask questions, so
that they are active
Example of "museum style" (258)
 60 students in double period 100 minute block
 30 present at a time
 A student peer evaluates each presentation
 Teacher circulates and grades
Better Essay Test Design
•
Use lab-type tests
o
o
•
Example: After a field trip to historical sites,
students had an open-ended in-class essay about
what they learned.
Open-book exam: could use trip itinerary or notes
Ask questions that require student reflection
o
o
"include questions about how students' thinking has
changed" (259).
Almost impossible for plagiarism
Teach Students How to
Respond
•
•
"When students handle tests more fluently,
there is less interference from struggles with
writing, so they can better show us what they
know" (260).
Review Previous Test Efforts
o
Have students find strengths and weakness in their
prior tests
Teach Students How to
Respond
•
Practice with Paired Discussion
o
o
o
o
o
•
Start with ordinary/personal topics
Model your thinking
Students brainstorm strategies for responding
Then have students try to respond orally
Now move on to questions relating to the reading
material - again responding orally in pairs
Engaging Daily Life Topics
o
o
Timed, in-class writing tasks
Example: Read excerpt from Teacher Man and
Teach Students How to
Respond
•
Use Rubrics
o Involve students in making rubric
• Discussion about elements of good writing
o Small number of criterion
• Focus on a few skills at a time
• Will not overload students or you
o Maintain balance of content and writing skills
• Rubric communicates what you value
o Build flexibility
• "include an extra blank in your rubric for
unexpected outcomes" (264).
Standardized Test Essays
•
Use assignments that ask students to think,
elaborate on their ideas, and make
connections between the material and the
world.
o
o
Chicago school 20% higher gain than city average
 Develop arguments
 Draw conclusions
 Explain their understanding
Interactive instruction = 5.2% higher gain than city
average (265)
Standardized Test Essays
•
Know the expectations about the content
and scoring of tests.
o
o
o
Teach students how to analyze test questions so they
know exactly what it is asking.
Review sample questions & scoring guide
Review several student samples and the comments
that explain the score
Standardized Test Essays
•
Test writing is similar to video games.
o
o
o
Both use same type of skills
"demonstrate for students by thinking aloud on a
sample test questions in your subject area and
showing kids just how the mental activity of
attacking an essay questions resembles playing a
computer game" (267).
Students can practice this thinking in pairs