ELA–Writing: Access Skills and Low Entry Points Prepared by: Laura Hines MCAS-Alt Teacher Consultant Fall 2017

Purpose of the MCAS-Alt ELAWriting Strand Convey students’ thoughts and ideas, demonstrate skills and knowledge Develop students’ expressive communication skills to create permanent products for the portfolio ELAWriting does not assess: the physical act of writing; e.g., physically grasping a pen/pencil, making a mark on paper keyboarding skills tracing or copying letters or words Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Writing to communicate Students at a pre-symbolic communication level will most likely create written products that reflect the use of access skills (e.g., “Choose from an array of errorless choices related to the creation of a written product”) Students with emerging or established communication systems may create written products that reflect lower-complexity entry points (e.g., “Express an opinion without deviating from a specific topic or text.”) Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Use the appropriate state rubric to score the selected text type Educator’s Manual p., 21 Use the appropriate state rubric to score the selected text type Opinion (grades 35)/Argument (grades 68 and 10): stating a claim, opinion, preference, or analysis based on a text or topic, citing reasons and evidence (from a text, where possible). Informative/Explanatory text: conveying or explaining facts, information, or ideas on a topic, including descriptions from a text. Narrative: telling a story based on real or imagined events from a text or personal experience. Can be fiction, drama (script), personal reflection, or an event sequence. Poetry: using figurative language (e.g., similes, metaphors), imagery, sounds of words (e.g., rhyme), meter, and/or repetition to express emotion or tell a story. At an early entry level Opinion = I like/don’t like, At earliest level closely related are Informative and Narrative. Informative = provides facts; like recipes or directions, current events, Narratives= personal experiences events in sequence, social stories, like portfolio introduction, or notes home at the end of the day. Poetry = simple, errorless, opportunities to create sensory pieces using rhyme, rhythm, with economy of words Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

ELAWriting Requirements Educator’s Manual p., 21 ELAWriting Requirements Use entry points and access skills in “Text Types and Purposes” cluster Students should use their primary mode of communication to produce work samples. Required: One baseline writing sample and three final writing samples Teachers will pre-score the 3 final samples only, using the state-provided rubrics. No data charts are required. Do you want to add something about the importance of the communication systems and/or teacher choice of vocabulary? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Opinion: Work Description Label I don’t know how to add text box: What’s here as brief description is the self eval. Brief description is After watching a video clip, Phrases to complete a music review were presented two at a time in an auditory scanning format. The student activated a voice output device to say that’s what I think. This work sample shows the student response to the choices presented. LS W.4.1 MO= Student will choose from an array of errorless choices related to the creation of a written product Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Opinion: Final Work Sample Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Educator’s Manual p., 23 Students working on access skills score 1 in each Demonstration of Skills and Concepts rubric area. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Informative/Explanatory: Work Description Label Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Informative/Explanatory: Final Work Sample The samples shown have all represented very simple writing samples. Teachers increase the complexity level for students with more language by providing opportunities for students with opportunities to create more detailed samples and documenting that level of participation. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Supporting Documentation Educator’s Manual pp., 21,40 Add the AAC board The secondary evidence provides valuable information to the scorer to understand what language the student has available in his lexicon. Supporting documentation provides important information so scorers can understand which vocabulary the student has available. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Educator’s Manual p., 24 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Narrative: Work Description Label Work description label needed; MO “Convey information on a given topic. Learning standard W4.1.a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Narrative: Final Work Sample Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Educator’s Manual p., 25 This is actually an entry point. (The choice wasn’t errorless). 3 1 Knowledge of conventions?? Text structure 1 vocab 1 independence 4 no self eval Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Narrative: Work Description Label Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Narrative: Final Work Sample “We are Going to the Shelter” Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Educator’s Manual p., 25 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Teacher-Scribed Work Sample Educator’s Manual p., 22 Teacher-Scribed Work Sample Includes a description of what the student was asked to do and how the student participated and contributed to the final product Describes the materials/context of the activity Indicates the student’s responses (percent of accuracy and independence) to each item/trial using his/her mode of communication Includes name, date, accuracy, independence, and other required information Just a reminder Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Poetry: Work Description Work description Label and Rubric Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

LINE 1: LEAVES FALL SOFTLY ON THE GROUND LINE 5: THE SQUIREL RUNS AWAY Educator’s Manual p., 21 Poetry: Final Work Sample SEPTEMBER Written by Room 190 LINE 1: LEAVES FALL SOFTLY ON THE GROUND Material: Leaves – Does not release even with prompting LINE 2: SQUIRELS RUN AND PLAY Material: Fur Swatch – Releases 11 seconds independently LINE 3: ACORNS FALL Material: Acorns – Releases 10 seconds independently LINE 4: ACORNS ROLL Material: Acorns – Releases 14 seconds independently LINE 5: THE SQUIREL RUNS AWAY Accuracy: 80% Independence: 80% Shows student’s participation in the creation of a poem. Poetry is a great to use with students addressing writing standards at the access level because poetry is sensory, rhythmic, and is predicated on an economy of words Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Required Elements for Writing Educator’s Manual p. 21 Required Elements for Writing Writing Sample (not scored) 1 Baseline writing sample + 1 Work Description for each Final Writing Sample 3 Final Writing Samples 3 Pre-Scored Rubrics This is for the same text type because I only have one base line. I could do two poetry and one narrative + X 90 + Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Thinking about Self-Evaluation Student choice-making and evaluation of one’s own work are essential components of the concept of self-determination, which is an important predictor of successful post school outcomes (Wehmeyer& Palmer, 2003; Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1998). Kleinert,H.L. & Kearns, J.F. (2010). Alternate Assessment for students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Self Evaluation: Students Making Choices Educator Manual p., 39 Self Evaluation: Students Making Choices Choices of materials, response format, order of events Choice of partner Choice of continuing or terminating the activity Do you see evidence of the “student’s voice” in the self-evaluation? Is it authentic? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Contact Information Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Student Assessment Office (781-338-3625) Debra Hand (MCAS-Alt) – dhand@doe.mass.edu Robert Pelychaty (Accommodations) – rpelychaty@doe.mass.edu General Inquiries – mcas@doe.mass.edu Measured Progress MCAS Service Center – 800-737-5103 Kevin Froton – froton.kevin@measuredprogress.org Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education