1. Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment
Section 3, Assessment 8 sessions
Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment
45 minutes
Considerations for This Session
This is the eighth session in the eight-part Section 3, “Assessment.” Ideally, this session would be offered after completing Session 1, “Whole-class Assessment” or after most teachers have taught at least the first two units of Being a Writer. During this session, participants will reflect on the challenges they have assessing students’ use of skills and conventions in their students’ writing. They will also understand how skills and conventions are supported in the Being a Writer program.
Facilitator Materials
“Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment” slide presentation
Being a Writer classroom set for your reference
Participant Materials
Being a Writer Teacher’s Manual
Skill Practice Teaching Guide
Student Skill Practice Book (1 copy)
Samples of student writing from the current unit of instruction (or Student Writing Notebooks)
Notebook or journal
Do Ahead
Download the “Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment” presentation from the CCC Learning Hub (ccclearninghub.org) and preview the content, including the commentary in the “Notes” field of each slide.
Familiarize yourself with the Diagnostic Language Skills Tasks in the Skill Practice Teaching Guide (grades 1–6).
Set up the necessary equipment (computer/projector, screen, speakers, etc.).

2. Welcome to Session 8 Session 1, Whole-class Assessments
Session 5, Writing Performance Task Preparation Guide, Part 1
Session 2, Individual Writing Assessment, Part 1
Session 6, Writing Performance Task Preparation Guide, Part 2
Session 3, Individual Writing Assessment, Part 2
Session 7, Conferring
Welcome to Session 8
(1 minute)
Welcome the participants to this Being a Writer professional learning session.
Explain that Section 3, “Assessment,” has eight sessions. Read the slide aloud and indicate that this is Session 8 of the section.
Session 4, Grading Practices
Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment

3. Learning Goals
Reflect on the challenges of assessing students’ use of skills and conventions in their writing.
Understand how skills and conventions are assessed and supported in the program.
Learning Goals
(1–2 minutes)
Read the slide aloud.
Explain that during this session, the participants will work with partners and in small groups. Have each participant identify a partner to work with during this session. Establish a signal (such as a raised hand) for coming back together at the end of partner or small-group work.
Transition to the next slide by telling the participants that they will have some time now to review their students’ writing and reflect on how their students are doing with skills and conventions.

4. Reflection As you review your students’ writing, consider:
What have you noticed about your students’ understanding and use of skills and conventions?
In what ways do you look for evidence of your students’ understanding and use of skills and conventions in their writing?
Reflection
(5–7 minutes)
Read the questions on the slide aloud.
Allow a few minutes for the participants to reflect and to review their students’ writing.
Scan the room; when most participants are ready, prompt them to share their reflections with their partners.
Explain that they should keep their reflections in mind as they explore how skills and conventions are assessed in the Being a Writer program.

5. Review Skills and Conventions Assessment in a Unit of Instruction
Review the following assessments in the Assessment Resource Book for your current or upcoming unit of instruction:
Class Assessment
Student Self-assessment
Individual Writing Assessment, Part B: Published Writing
In what ways are skills and conventions assessed in this unit?
How might you use your observations of student writing from these assessments to help you plan when and to whom you will teach lessons from the Skill Practice Teaching Guide?
Review Skills and Conventions Assessment in a Unit of Instruction
(10–12 minutes)
Direct the participants to locate and review the assessments listed on this slide in their Assessment Resource Book.
Note: Kindergarten teachers will not have all of the assessments listed on this slide. After kindergarten teachers complete this activity, you might direct them to the last slide to consider the reflection questions listed there (as the next two slides pertain only to teachers in grades 1–6).
Allow 7–8 minutes for the participants to talk with their partners about the questions listed.
Scan the room; when most participants are ready, invite volunteers to share what they talked about.
Transition to the next slide by telling the participants that they will have some time now to review how language skills are assessed using the grade-level Language Skills Assessments in the Skill Practice Teaching Guide.

6. Grades 1–6: Writing Skills and Conventions
Review the “Assessing CCSS Language Skills” section in the Introduction of your Skill Practice Teaching Guide.
Discuss with a partner:
What did you read that will be important to remember?
Grades 1–6: Writing Skills and Conventions
(5–7 minutes)
Direct the participants to locate the “Assessing CCSS Language Skills” section in the Introduction of their Skill Practice Teaching Guide and give them time to read it to themselves.
Allow a few minutes for the participants to talk with their partners about the important points.
Scan the room; when most participants have finished, signal for their attention and go to the next slide.

7. Grades 1–6: Review Diagnostic Assessments
Review the directions for conducting, scoring, and analyzing the first diagnostic assessment in Appendix C of the Skill Practice Teaching Guide.
Consider:
When will you administer this task to your students?
How might you use your analysis of the results to plan when and to whom you will teach lessons from the Skill Practice Teaching Guide?
Grades 1–6: Review Diagnostic Language Skills Task #1
(12–15 minutes)
Direct the participants to locate Appendix C in the Skill Practice Teaching Guide and give them time to independently read the sections identified on the slide.
Scan the room; when most participants have finished, signal for their attention and allow a few minutes for them to talk about the questions listed on the slide.
Ask for volunteers to share what they talked about.

8. What did you discover about how skills and conventions are assessed in the program?
Based on what you have discussed today, what supports will you use to inform your instruction of skills and conventions in your current and/or upcoming unit?
End of Session
(3–5 minutes)
Read the first question aloud and have the participants summarize what they have learned.
Read the second question aloud and have two or three participants share their thinking.
This is the end of Session 8 and the end of the “Assessment” section. Announce the date and time of the next scheduled session and let the participants know what they will need to bring with them to the next session.