1. Presented by Maureen Ucles Lead iCoach Elementary Language Arts October 2013

3. Assessment split evenly over 2 days Day 1: First half of multiple-choice questions and first prompt Day 2: Second half of multiple-choice questions and second prompt Field-test questions: multiple choice embedded; there will be a “mini” stand-alone field test every three years to try out new writing prompts. For each day’s test session, students can work through the test in any order: composition first or multiple-choice questions first.

4. Broader measure of writing at each grade by requiring students to write two compositions addressing different purposes Purposes for writing assessed−personal narrative and expository Essays weighted equally No “gatekeeper” (no automatic fail of the writing test for receiving a score of 1 on a composition)

5.  Texas Education Agency TEKS Glossary Definition: An expressive literary piece written in first person that centers on a particular event in the author’s life and may contain vivid description as well as personal commentary and observations.

6.  Students are to write about important personal experiences.  Personal narratives must be realistic in nature. No obvious “fantasy papers” 4.16(A)  Students write about something realistic the reader believes could have happened.

7.  Personal Narrative prompts contain a stimulus and are scaffolded.  Look at the picture.  Sentence that gets the writer to think and that goes along with the visual stimulus.  Write-tells the write what they should write about and focus on. The write sentence give the writer his/her charge.  Be Sure To: Reminders

11.  Texas Education Agency TEKS Glossary defines expository writing as: a type of informational text that clarifies or explains something.

12. Prompts focus on topics that do not require students to bring particular background knowledge or facts to the table in order to write a good essay. They are general. Task requires students to clearly explain what they think about something Students may use 1 st person; in fact, prompts are written to elicit an explanatory response that reflects students’ own thinking about their lives and the world

13. Expository prompts contain a stimulus and are scaffolded: Read, Think, Write, Be Sure to − Purpose: to help students “build” a concept of what they might write about and to provide students with important reminders that will help them be successful on the writing task

17.  Students are given 2 ½ pages to plan.  Students must write their finished piece of writing on a paper that contains twenty-six lines. There is a border around the page.  The people who read personal narrative are trained to read what is in the box.  Students do not have to write a title on this page.  The people who read the composition are trained to not read the title.

18. Score Point 1—VERY LIMITED Score Point 2—BASIC Score Point 3—SATISFACTORY Score Point 4—ACCOMPLISHED Teachers and students need to have an in-depth understanding of the writing rubric for each type of writing!

19. TAKS compositions were scored using the “perfect agreement” model. Two readers read each paper, and if the scores did not agree, a third reader (and sometimes a fourth) read the paper to determine the final score. STAAR compositions will be scored using the “adjacent scoring” model. Perfect agreement does not have to be reached. With this method, districts will receive a more accurate description of each student’s writing performance.

20. SCORE 1SCORE 2 SUMMED SCORE CSR RATING 000Nonscorable Performance 112 Very Limited Performance 123Between Very Limited and Basic Performance 224 Basic Performance 235Between Basic and Satisfactory Performance 336Satisfactory Performance 347Between Satisfactory and Accomplished Performance 448Accomplished Performance

21. RESPONSIVENESS to both the purpose and the topic. Responsiveness is weakened when the student uses an inappropriate or marginally appropriate organizing structure includes ideas that are extraneous or only marginally related to the topic -from Victoria Young Presentation to CREST on September 30 th, 2013

22. FOCUS Personal narrative must be focused on a single real experience. Focus is weakened when the student includes details or events that do not further the reader’s understanding of the experience (e.g., unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, events that are not actually part of the narrative, and “bed to bed” narratives) separates the story line from the extension/reflection

23. FOCUS Expository and persuasive writing must be focused on the central “charge” of the prompt (the “Write about”) An explicit, specific thesis (central/controlling idea) or position statement is critical to a focused essay—the earlier in the paper, the better. Focus is weakened when the thesis or position statement is general or vague evolving

24. PROGRESSION/CONNECTIONS What isn’t required: a specific number of ideas or paragraphs What is required: moving logically from sentence to sentence and connecting ideas with meaningful transitions so that the reader can really (easily) follow the student’s train of thought Progression/connections are weakened when the student moves randomly from sentence to sentence does not use transitions or relies on perfunctory transitions (e.g., The first thing that happened, The next thing that happened; First, Second, Third; My first reason, My final reason)

25. PROGRESSION/CONNECTIONS The biggest problem we see when an essay is lacking in this area: clusters of ideas that are each linked to the prompt but not connected to each other—important in all cases but especially if ideas are different “grain sizes” a roadblock to substance/depth/ thoughtfulness because the student does not “build” from one idea to the next Remember Unconnected ideas = superficial development Superficial development = a score of 2

26. DEVELOPMENT—Given the space constraints of 26 lines, what makes the most sense: Narrow and deep development—fewer ideas with more depth better than more ideas with less depth Building meaning from one idea to the next— each idea enriched/enhanced by what came before it

27. DEVELOPMENT What causes the worst development problems: formulaic approaches (e.g., 5-paragraph essays)—almost always result in a lack of thoughtfulness, individuality, depth ideas that are too complicated, abstract, philosophical, or overly erudite for a student’s writing skills Remember The best development is real, based on a student’s own experiences and thinking about the world.

28. The primary causes of space problems Introductions that repeat the prompt, incorporate an unnecessary framing device, or include preview statements (average 5−9 lines) Conclusions that simply repeat introduction Weak organization: repetition, meandering, and randomness Use of “filler” (description, details, examples, reasons) that doesn’t contribute to the quality of the development Remember Using space effectively requires both planning and revision!

29. Multiple-choice portion of test based on 28 questions (9 revision questions and 19 editing questions) 32% of the Multiple Choice Questions come from Revision type questions. 68% of the Multiple Choice Questions come from Editing type questions. Composition portion of test based on two compositions—16 points (8 points for personal narrative and 8 points for expository writing) Writing test overall based on 44 points

30.  28 Multiple Choice Questions based on Editing and Revising.  There are 19 multiple choice test questions that are considered editing. Editing is focused on correctness (conventions): capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, usage, and sentence boundaries (fragments and run-ons)  There are 9 multiple choice test questions that are considered to be revision. Revision is focused on effectiveness, i.e., strengthening/improving various aspects of a piece of writing: the introduction and conclusion, organization/progression, development, word choice, and sentences.

31.  Composition portion of test is based on 2 compositions (personal narrative and expository).  Each composition is judged by 2 people. The scores from the two judges could result in 8 possible points. One scorer could give a possible score of 0-4. The other scorer would do the same. 8 is the highest combination for that particular composition.

32.  Scorers do the same with an expository composition. The highest possible score would be 8 points.  The two compositional scores are combined.  The maximum combination for the two composition would be 16 points.

33.  A student could receive a possible score of 28 questions answered correctly out of 28 multiple choice questions.  A student who is accomplished in the personal narrative and expository compositions would score 16 points.  If that were the case, the student would receive 28 +16=44 possible points.

34.  The two compositions=16 Maximum Points out of 44 possible points.  The Multiple Choice=28 Maximum Points out of 44 possible points.  Percentages-Compositions = 36% of Test  Percentages-Multiple Choice=64% of Test

35.  Jennifer Staar answered 12 editing questions correctly out of 19. She also answered 5 revision questions correctly out of 9.  Jennifer Staar now has answered 17 multiple choice questions out of 28.  Jennifer’s personal narrative composition was considered between basic and satisfactory. She received a 5 score.  Jennifer additionally received a “satisfactory” on her expository composition. She received a 6 on her composition.

36.  What is her total score if you combine the multiple choice questions answered correctly with her 2 compositions?  She answered 17 multiple choice questions.  She received 5 points for her personal narrative and 6 points for the expository composition.  17 + 5 + 6 =28  Her raw score was 28 out of 44.

37.  There will be two cut scores, identifying three performance categories  Level III: Advanced Academic Performance  Level II: Satisfactory Academic Performance  Level I: Unsatisfactory Academic Performance

39.  Performance in this category indicates that students Are well prepared for the next grade or course  Demonstrate the ability to think critically  Demonstrate the ability to apply the assessed knowledge and skills in varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar  Have a high likelihood of success in next grade or course with little or no academic intervention

40.  Performance in this category indicates that students are sufficiently prepared for the next grade or course  Generally demonstrate the ability to think critically  Generally demonstrate the ability to apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts  Have a reasonable likelihood of success in the next grade or course  May need short-term, targeted academic intervention

41.  Performance in this category indicates that students are inadequately prepared for the next grade or course  Do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the assessed knowledge and skills  Are unlikely to succeed in next grade or course without significant, ongoing academic intervention

43. Unsatisfactory ISatisfactory IIAdvanced III 22 and below out of 4423 to 35 out of 4436 to 44 out of 44 50% and below52%-79.5%81.8%-100%

44.  STAAR 4 th Grade Writing information gleaned from the TEA Website. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/st aar/ http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/st aar/  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/st aar/writing/ http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/st aar/writing/  Victoria Young  Director of Reading, Writing, and Social Studies Assessments  Texas Education Agency  512-463-9536  victoria.young@tea.state.tx.us

45.  Maureen Ucles from the Department of Teaching and Learning at SBISD  maureen.ucles@springbranchisd.com maureen.ucles@springbranchisd.com