CCPS District Writing Assessment FCAT Writing Performance Task Scoring

Agenda Session Goals Overview of Holistic Scoring Review Scoring Criteria and Rubric Examine Writing Prompt & Allowable Interpretations Read Anchor Papers & Discuss Share Scores & Discuss Review/Q & A/Evaluation

Goals Participants will: Understand and use the rubric. Read, discuss, and score papers to within one point of the DOE scores.

Materials Rubric_________________________ Anchor Papers : 2007 Qualifying Sets __ _______________________ Verification Scores

Holistic Scoring Holistic Scoring is a method by which trained readers evaluate the overall quality of a piece of writing according to pre-determined criteria.

Holistic Scoring Points to Remember A score cannot be assigned until the last word is read. Only whole numbers are assigned. Two raters’ average must be 3.5 or above to pass

Holistic Scoring Points to Remember The score is dependent upon the interplay of four criteria in the rubric (focus, organization, support, and conventions). Holistic scoring honors the writer’s message as the assessment focus, as opposed to the structure of the writing.

Holistic Scoring Formulaic Writing The five-paragraph essay is not a “one-size- fits-all” model. Formulaic writing does not guarantee a higher score. However, struggling writers need the structure of the five-paragraph essay. Keep in mind that writers will outgrow the formula; the bar has been raised.

Holistic Scoring Formulaic Writing According to the FDOE, “Teachers are encouraged to recognize the limitations of presenting and accepting as correct one organizational plan over all others.”

Holistic Scoring Reader Bias Reader bias has no basis in the scoring criteria or rubric. The appearance of the response is the number one reader bias. Readers do not “grade” the response by responding to its mechanical, grammatical, or linguistic weaknesses.

Four Scoring Criteria FocusOrganizationSupportConventions

Criterion 1: Focus Does the writer address the prompt? Does the writing illustrate the main idea or theme and stay on topic? If extraneous or loosely related information is included, does the writer come back to the topic without changing the focus? Essays at the higher end of the scale do not contain extraneous information.

Criterion 2: Organization Does the writer follow a plan that includes an introduction, effective transitional devices, and a conclusion? Can the reader identify a beginning, middle, and an end? Papers at the higher end of the scale use transitions to connect ideas from sentence to sentence, group similar ideas within paragraphs, order paragraphs according to importance, and end with a memorable conclusion.

Criterion 3: Support Does the writer include sufficient information as supporting details and use personal experiences or anecdotes to explain or persuade? Does the writer use precise words and phrases that show a mature command of language? Essays on the higher end of the scale provide elaborated examples and fully - developed illustrations.

Criterion 4: Conventions Does the writer exhibit basic writing skills in the use of punctuation, capitalization, spelling, parts of speech usage, and sentence variety? Errors are considered unacceptable if they seriously impede the flow and understanding of the essay. Even at the higher end of the scale, a few errors are acceptable. Spelling of common grade- level words is expected.

Unscorable A paper may be unscorable because the response is: not related to what the prompt requested the student to do. simply a rewording of the prompt. illegible. written in a foreign language. incomprehensible.

Unscorable A paper may also be unscorable because: the student refused to write. the response contains an insufficient amount of writing to determine if the student was attempting to address the prompt. the writing folder is blank.

Grade Level Rubrics Please refer to… Yellow slides for Grade 10 Green slides for Grade 8 Pink slides for Grade 4

Grade 10 Score Point 1 Addresses topic but includes loosely related ideas Lacks completeness and control of conventions Contains sparse support, if any

Grade 10 Score Point 2 Addresses topic but focus may wander Beginning, middle, and end provide a “skeleton” Support may be erratic, repetitive, and non-specific Limited word choice

Grade 10 Score Point 3 Shows focus but uneven development of support Organizational pattern but may lack logical progression of ideas Adequate word choice

Grade 10 Score Point 4 Support is consistent but may lack specificity Effective use of transitional devices Demonstrates variation in sentence structure

Grade 10 Score Point 5 Support is ample, specific and contains examples Mature command of language Sense of completeness

Grade 10 Score Point 6 Support is substantial, specific, relevant, and concrete May employ creative writing strategies Freshness of expression Few, if any, errors in conventions

Grade 10 Expository Qualifying Prompt Writing Situation: Teachers and employers want people to have good work habits. Directions for Writing: Think about the good work habits people should have. Now write to explain what good work habits people should have.

Grade 10 Anchor Prompt Allowable Interpretations The student is allowed considerable latitude in interpretation of the prompt; therefore, the words in the prompt may be broadly defined. The student may present information as “factual” even if the information is not. The student may explain one or more work habits he, she, or others should have and may include positive and/or negative aspects.

Grade 10 Anchor Prompt Allowable Interpretations The student may explain work habits people have that are not good. The reader should not judge the “logic” of the facts. Narration, description, and persuasion “work” if they provide explanatory information related to the prompt.

2007 Grade 10 Persuasive Qualifying Prompt Writing Situation: A newspaper article said that high school athletes should be paid to play sports for their schools. Directions for Writing: Think about whether or not high school athletes should be paid to play sports for their schools. Now write to convince the editor of the newspaper whether high school athletes should be paid to play sports for their high schools. Now write to convince the editor of the newspaper whether high school athletes should be paid to play sports for their high schools.

Grade 10 Qualifying Prompt Allowable Interpretations The student may present information as “factual” even if it is not. The student may write about sports or only one sport. The student may cite one or more arguments and may include positive and/or negative aspects.

Grade 10 Verification Prompt Allowable Interpretations Narration, description, and exposition “work” if the they provide support related to the persuasive prompt. The student may take the position that the decision should be left to others or influenced by other factors, or the student may take another qualified stand to provide an alternative. e.g. “School is about academics, so students should be paid according to their grade point averages.”

Score Point 1 Minimally addresses the topic Little idea development or incoherent /illogical listing of ideas Introduction, conclusion, and transitions are absent Immature word choice and few details Gross errors may impede communication

Score Point 2 Addresses topic but main idea is unclear and poor analytical thinking exists Minimal logical sequencing with introduction, conclusion and transitional devices generally absent Details may be repeated and nonspecific Limited, redundant, or vague word choice Conspicuous errors in grammar, usage, punctuation, and/or spelling

Score Point 3 Generally focused on topic, but incomplete composition Attempts organizational pattern, but lacks completeness Details lack elaborations Predictable word choices Few errors interfere with meaning

Score Point 4 Sense of completeness, but elaboration is uneven Predicatable sequencing Adequate support but uneven development Common word choices Generally follows conventions; come variation in sentence length and structure

Score Point 5 Well-developed using ample support and elaboration Logical sequencing and effective organization Mature command of language and ample elaborations/support Variation in sentence structure Few errors in grammar, usage, and spelling

Score Point 6 Focused, purposeful, and exceptional analytical thinking Sophisticated introduction, conclusion, and transitioning with effective sequencing Concrete elaborations with vivid word choices and freshness of expression Few, if any, errors in conventions and sentences are fluent and varied.

Grade 8 FCAT 2007 Expository Prompt Writing Situation: Most students learn by listening, reading, or doing. Directions for Writing: Think about the way you like to learn. Now write to explain why you like to learn this way.

Grade 8 Prompt Allowable Interpretations The student may write about one “way” or more than one “way that he/she likes to learn. The student may select a way to learn that is not mentioned in the prompt. The “way to learn” may be construed to mean the student likes to learn “about” a particular topic. The explanation may be fact or fantasy.

Grade 8 Prompt Allowable Interpretations Narration, description, and persuasion “work” if they provide explanatory information related to the prompt. The reader should not judge the logic or correctness of facts. The student may provide one or more reasons for his/her preference, and/or may explain multiple aspects (positiv and/or negative of the preference. The way of learning may be implied rather than explicitly stated.

Grade 8 FCAT 2007 Persuasive Prompt Writing Situation: Some schools have candy and soda machines. Directions for Writing: Think about whether this is a good idea for your school. Now write to persuade your principal to accept your opinion about the candy and soda machines.

Grade 8 Prompt Allowable Interpretations Narration, description, and exposition “work” if they support the prompt. The student may cite one or more arguments and may include positive and/or negative aspects. The student may present information as “factual” even if the information is not based on fact.

Grade 8 Prompt Allowable Interpretations Students may interpret the “candy and soda machines” to be any type of machine containing items to eat or drink, and/or the student may assume that the items to eat or drink are being provided free of charge. The writer may take the position that the decision should be left to others or influenced by other factors, or the student may take another qualified stand to provide an alternative. “If you’re asking me about machines, Mr. Power, we do not need anything else unhealthy. You need to get some machines to help us get in shape, like treadmills, bicycles, and weight benches.”

Grade 4 Score Point 1 “Tossed salad” Effect Shows lack of control Repetitious, sparse, scrambled, and/or vague Errors in conventions may impede communication

Grade 4 Score Point 2 “ Just the facts, ma’am.” List-like content Rushed or poor story line

Grade 4 Score Point 3 “Skeleton” May contain a few specifics First score point in which focus is mentioned First score point in which students must demonstrate basic skills with conventions

Grade 4 Score Point 4 “Hit or miss” paper Uneven support First score point in which paper has sense of completeness or wholeness

Grade 4 Score Point 5 Shows consistency with focus, organization, support, and conventions First score point in which spelling, subject/verb agreement, and standard forms of nouns and verbs are mentioned Sentence structure must be varied Sentence structure must be varied

Grade 4 Score Point 6 “Hit the Wow!” First and only score point for ample development of supporting ideas Mature command of language Precision in word choice Sentences are complete, except when fragments are used purposefully

Qualifying Set: Narrative Prompt Grade FCAT Writing Situation: Imagine a field trip to a special place. Directions for Writing: Think about what might happen on a field trip to a special place. Think about what might happen on a field trip to a special place. Now write a story about a field trip to a special place.

Grade 4 Prompt Allowable Interpretations The student may include or be limited to the time period before, during, or after the event(s). The student may cite one or more things that happened, may write about all the things that happened or may write about only one aspect. The writer may tell the negative or positive aspects of the time/event, the consequences of the time/event, and /or the reactions to the time/event.

Grade 4 Prompt Allowable Interpretations Narration, description, and persuasion “work” if they provide information about the event or events. The writer may include any number and/or types of characters. The story may be fact or fantasy.

Qualifying Set: Expository Grade FCAT Prompt Writing Situation: Many people have something special to them, like a toy, a book, or an award. Directions for Writing: Think about something that is special to you and what makes it special. Think about something that is special to you and what makes it special. Now write about something that is special, and explain why it is special to you.

Grade 4 Prompt Allowable Interpretations The explanation may be fact or fantasy. The student may provide a reason or reasons to support what is or shat is not special. The student may write about one “thing” or more than one “thing” that is special.

Grade 4 Prompt Allowable Interpretations Narration, description, and persuasion “work” if they provide information related to the prompt. The writer may present information as “factual” even if the information is not based on fact. The student may provide one or more reasons something is special, and/or the student may explain multiple aspects (positive and/or negative) of “something special. “special” may be implied rather than explicitly stated.