Considering Writing Assessments

Assessing for writing using a standardized assessment certainly appears more complex, time-consuming, and variable than assessing for reading. However, it also makes sense to have something. During my Literacy time today I scoured the web for ideas. There isn't too much out there beyond "sample items" from various state tests or multiple-choice questions that somehow purport to measure writing ability.

The TC Writing Assessment is most definitely a commercial product that attempts to level student writing much the same way we level student reading. It appears to involve copious amounts of checklists along a continuum for all three writing types as identified by the Common Core. If incorporated into instruction, student checklists would complement writing instruction and correlate to the rubrics. (My favorite quote: "Who would have thought that checklists could be such a source of energy!")

That said, the assessments are intended to assess writing separately from reading and do provide a wealth of samples, rubrics, and prompts that we could use to assess writing for all of our students, perhaps even as a baseline administered in our classrooms.

I would suggest we at least get the resource and try it out this year. I can choose a group of students to pilot this with, perhaps, or we could try it across our classrooms.

Here is the link to the product, through which you can also view a sample chapter.