Using Formative Assessments to Improve Lit Essay Writing

We are required, as part of our curriculum, to give a core assessment at the beginning and at the end of the year. This core assessment is supposed to show growth in the subject, and is used as one data point along with standardized testing (when available) and in-class unit assessments. For the English Language Arts curriculum, we ask students to read a short story and write a literary essay about it. We use the same Six Traits literary essay rubric that we use during our Lit Essay unit. For the past several years that I've been doing this, I whipped through the scoring, knowing that the students weren't going to see or use the information until the end of the year when they did a reflection about their growth as writers. I scored the essays for the data point they were, trying to minimize the time commitment they required of me.

And then I read this article by Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher in English Journal, "A Formative Assessment System for Writing Improvement" (103.1, 2013, 66-71). Frey and Fisher advocate for a documentation system in which errors on a piece of writing done early in the unit can be clustered together by type, and then follow-up instruction is easy to organize and implement. They provided an example chart that made their system clear. Their point is that spending time assessing, and then instructing based on the information gleaned, early in the writing process will improve student writing much more than the red ink explosion we often expend on the final piece and which students generally ignore.

This is certainly not a new idea to me, more like review than an "ah ha!" moment. However, sometimes these reminders come at exactly the right time to change my habits. This was one of those times. I was just about to sit down to score my core assessment literary essays. And we are in the early stages of our lit essay unit.

So using Frey and Fisher's example chart as a model, I made the left-hand column of my error analysis chart reflect the main points from the literary essay rubric (see below). As I scored the essays, I found I needed some sub-categories to be more specific about the types of errors I was seeing. I included these sub-categories in the right-hand column, along with the students' names that needed support with that particular skill (I removed the names before posting to preserve anonymity).

Error	Class 1
Introduction includes thesis statement that alerts reader to upcoming argument	No thesis: Expand: No intro:
Topic sentences link thesis to paragraph content	Topic sentence wording: No topic sentences: Body paragraphs connected to thesis:
Conclusion summarizes main ideas and includes a reflection/insight	No conclusion: Reflection:
Idea is supported by text evidence (quote or paraphrase)	Quotes: Paraphrase: Evidence supports topic sent/thesis: All parts of text:
Text evidence is explained for significance
Literary and academic words are used formally	precise words: Vocabulary building: Formal:
Sentences are fluent and grammatically correct	choppy sentences: concise: Verb tense shifting: Subject-verb/adjective-noun agreement:
Quotes are punctuated and cited correctly, including quoted dialogue
End punctuation is correct	end punctuation and comma splices: Clauses as sentences:
Editing tool used effectively	spell & grammar check:

Next, I looked at areas where a large number (a third or more of the class) had difficulty, and decided to make those whole-class lessons. For example, punctuating and citing quotes correctly is a skill that nearly half the class has not yet mastered. This will become a whole-class lesson. I will also do a whole-class lesson on introductions and conclusions. Since our 8th grade lit essay is focused on comparing two texts, a new structure for middle schoolers, having an introduction that sets up the structure for the reader, and a conclusion that goes beyond summary to a more generalized idea, are lessons everyone can learn. Within those whole-class lessons, though, I can still check in with individuals or small groups who need further scaffolding during conferring time. 

This system took about twice as much time as I normally spend with the core assessments. However, I think it is worth it so that my students can get targeted instruction that meets their writing needs when they will actually use it. Frey and Fisher suggest that time spent assessing early in the process means that teachers need less time assessing at the end of the process because we have already made our suggestions and recommendations. That makes sense too. 

Our next writing unit is short fiction. I wonder if I can get a quick fiction piece-- a pre-assessment as it were-- from students about a week before the unit starts. Getting the unit started with formative information already in place can help me know how to help my writers improve every day of the unit. 

A Glimpse into the NCSS's C3 Framework

I read the October issue of The National Council of the Social Studies' newsletter, The Social Studies Professional this morning. Pages 7 and 8 give an overview of the new College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards (which is available as a free download here). According to the overview, the major guiding principles are:

• Social studies prepares the nation's young people for college, careers, and civic life.
• Inquiry is at the heart of social studies.
• Social studies involves interdisciplinary applications and welcomes integration of the arts and humanities.
• Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from the disciplines. Social studies emphasizes skills and practices as preparation for democratic decision-making.
• Social studies education should have direct and explicit connections to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies.

The C3 Framework is organized along four "dimensions":

1. Dimension 1: Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
2. Dimension 2: Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts
3. Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
4. Dimension 4: Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action

As I read over these guiding principles and the C3 Framework Organization, I felt comfortable with all but one bullet point: "Inquiry is at the heart of social studies." I can visualize lessons that prepare students to have a broad understanding to lead them into their future. I can visualize lessons that integrate the arts and humanities. I can visualize unit plans that lay out enduring understandings, concepts and skills. And I can visualize how reading and writing in the content areas support the CCSS.

What is hard for me to visualize is how to make inquiry the "heart" of social studies. As a teacher of early US history to international eighth graders living in a Middle Eastern country, I wonder how student questions can drive the instruction, as the Framework suggests. The students have so little background knowledge, they wouldn't know what to ask that would lead them into a deep inquiry. I always have an essential question that drives our unit, but that is not inquiry since the question came from me.

And once the students have a question to go with, then what? Does each unit turn into a research project? That sounds dull. In my class, the most exciting and engaging activities have been the role play activities that lead to debating issues leading up to the American Revolution and the development of the Constitution. Students also enjoy watching historical documentaries that bring the people and events of the time to life. The visual, kinesthetic, and oral involvement make concepts stick.

I am not rejecting the idea of inquiry as the "heart" of social studies. I think it's an interesting idea. I am just wondering:

• What does it look like?
• How would I organize it and support it?
• How would I assess it?

The C3 Framework is new, and like the Common Core, there will most likely be lots of resources coming out to support its implementation. I will be on the lookout for the inquiry pieces. Meanwhile, I will see how I can do the other parts just a little bit better.

Reflecting on a Reading Life: Reading Logs

image by David Yu on flickr (cc)

Last week I posted about the data that can be collected from student reading logs. Now that the September reading logs have been turned in and students have reflected on them, I would like to share some student insights about themselves as readers. I'll run through the questions from the reflection sheet, and share some interesting responses.

Titles: Are you sticking to one genre or reading a variety? Are you finishing them? Have you abandoned any?

• I think I'm sticking to mystery just because I've enjoyed that genre for now. I haven't ever read many mystery books so this might have been good for me.
• I have read 2 books related to slavery, but all the books are different genres. I have not abandoned a book yet.
• I have read a variety of books including history, biographies, realistic fiction, and short stories. I did abandon 1 book because I was not interested in reading it, and I felt it lacked plot.

Reading volume and rate: Are you reading about 1 page per minute? Are you reading fast and long enough to get through about a book a month?

• I think it takes about 1 to 2 mins for me to read a page because I am a slow reader and I often go back and read again because I forget things easily. It takes me about 2-3 weeks to finish a book. (My response back: "Can you write a quick summary sticky when you finish to help you remember where you left off?" I also noticed she was reading late at night-- after 11:00 sometimes on a school night. I wrote another comment: "Maybe this is why you don't remember your reading. Try reading earlier in the day.")
• I am reading a little faster than 1 page per a minute however I sometimes get distracted and increase the time.
• Yes, some books had bigger pages than others. I was reading just under a page per minute, but I noticed that I read faster in the morning than I do just before I go to sleep. I think it has to do with me being tired.
• Yes I can read about a page a minute, but sometimes I read so fast I don't even understand.

Timing: When are you reading? Are you reading at least 20 minutes at a stretch? If you need to read more, when could you fit it in?

• I read before bed, and sometimes I read less than 20 minutes and sometimes more. (My response back: "Maybe before bed is not the best time. Consider other-- less sleepy-- times to read.")
• I am reading at night time, mostly. I read at least 20 minutes at a stretch, and if I need more time I could read right when I get home. (My response when I saw he was not reading 100 minutes a week, and had skipped a whole week: "It looks like you need to find more reading time and keep it going each week. Either that or you need to remember to log your reading."
• Sometimes I read about 18-19 min when busy. However most of the time I read at least 20 min and if I want to read more, weekends will be perfect for me to do that.
• I'm reading at least 50 minutes per stretch, but about once a week. I still need to read a lot more. I can fit it in whenever, but I need to regularly read to get it part of my routine.

Did you meet your first goal? If so, what is your next goal? If not, what is your next step that will bring you closer to your goal?

• I completed my reading goal. Now I would like to discuss the books I read with people to find a deeper meaning and understand more. (My response: "Good idea! Who will be your reading buddies?")
• I think I need to work on my goal more because it wasn't really convenient for me to record on my log. I will start putting sticky notes to record easier. I want to make reading a habit.
• I have a good start. I have read 2 1/2 books in a month so by semester 2 I should have 7 read.
• I read both fiction and nonfiction, but I mostly read adventure books, so I'll try more to pick different kinds of books.

From my perspective, I noticed that the girls and a few boys are reading up a storm. However, most of the boys gave me either incomplete reading logs or none at all. Without seeing their logs, I can't know any of the above information about their reading lives. Since this is the first month, I will need to hound them to get the logs in to me before this becomes the standard for the rest of the year.

Reading Logs as Artifacts of a Reading Life

CC image by Skokie Public Library

September is just about over, meaning that September Reading Logs are about to roll in. Since they were handed out early in the second week of school (the last week of August), students have been to the library to get started on their home reading life, reflected on themselves as readers, made reading goals, and jumped into a unit on reading response and interpretation. They were given the instructions: Read your home book 5 days a week for 20 minutes each time (minimum) and record your reading on your Reading Log (date, title, time started/time ended/total time, page started/page ended/total pages, comment).

I am very much looking forward to seeing these September Reading Logs. They are rich with information about my students, and are filled with areas for reflecting:

1. What books are they reading? This can give me a clue into the types of books students enjoy, making it easier for me to suggest next books.
2. What level of books are they reading? I'd like to record the title of the book each student is reading, and find that book's Lexile and guided reading level (if available). Then I can determine if they are reading above, below, or at "target" (right now, I'm using the lowest Lexile score in the range determined by the fall MAP Reading test). Again, this helps me understand the students' tastes and comfort level, and gives me an insight into what would be a good next book for them.
3. When are they reading? While thinking about ourselves as readers, we read an article from the Atlantic Wire called "What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostic Guide" (I edited it down to the most appropriate ones before handing it out). One of the categories is The Sleepy-Time Reader. Not surprisingly, many of my students are Sleepy-Time Readers, reserving their reading for post-homework, post-video game or social networking time, often the last thing to do before falling asleep. We talked a bit about how that could affect their rate, productivity, and comprehension. Some students decided to make it their reading goal to read at other times of the day as a way to grow as a reader. However, I will not be surprised to see "10:30-10:45" or later on some Reading Logs. 
4. How fast are they reading? According to the Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project Reading Institute, students should be reading about a page a minute at this age. If they aren't reading that quickly, it could indicate several things: 1) the book is too hard for them-- students could be looking up words or having to reread because they lose comprehension, 2) they are reading at the wrong time of day-- see Sleepy-Time Reader above-- or with too many distractions around, 3) they are just not very interested in the book, or 4) they are not reading enough of the book at one time to get into the story, and therefore need to re-read to pick up the thread before going on. This is a good conversation to have with students when they are reading slowly. Depending on the reason, there is usually a fairly straightforward solution.
5. Are they reading? For some, this is the bottom line question. Unfortunately, some students don't meet the 100 minutes per week minimum. Sometimes it's because they are busy with sports teams or other extracurriculars, leaving little time for homework. Sometimes they have too much other homework, and push reading to the side as a lower priority. Sometimes they just don't like reading. Whatever the reason, this becomes yet another problem-solving conversation to have, first with the student, and if the trend continues, then with the parents.

When students also do this kind of reflecting on their Reading Log, they can see that the log itself helps them to track their reading life and, especially, their reading goal. They might find that they have already reached their reading goal, and there is something else indicated on the Reading Log that needs to be worked out. They might find that they haven't made much (or any) progress toward their reading goal, and they need to keep the goal in mind as they continue their reading next month. If they reflect on their reading habits every month, the Reading Log stays fresh as a data collection tool with a purpose, rather than another piece of homework drudgery. They will be more honest about their reading lives, and it puts the responsibility for growing as a reader right where it needs to be: in the students' own hands.

Summary: Does it mean the same thing across content areas?

Image from robsrelnide website

We've been in school for four weeks now. In a typical series of events, I recently learned that the science teachers rearranged their units this year so that they can teach the environmental science unit before we head off to the tropical rainforest of Thailand at the end of October. That makes sense. What I also learned recently is that the project students worked on for a few weeks was a webquest in which they researched 25 ecosystems, took notes on their research, and made a slideshow that highlighted 5 they felt were most important. OK, good project.

Image from mytinyphone website

Meanwhile, next door in social studies, our first project in the Native Americans unit involved researching 8 elements of civilization for a specific tribe, taking notes from the research, and making a slideshow with an oral presentation highlighting the top 3 factors that helped them thrive. Hmmm... very familiar.

I found out about this overlap as we were both finishing our respective projects. The kids didn't complain, I just overheard my colleague discussing the project with his curriculum partner. In some ways, the two projects complimented each other nicely. We both had the same expectations for note-taking, thanks to the extensive work our media specialist has done with classes in the middle school on research. The science teacher reviewed/taught students the skills of Google presentations, so I didn't have to; thus the slideshows in my class went quickly. And because my project involved an oral component which the science slideshow did not, I lifted the expectations.

However, all of that was serendipitous. I wish the science teachers had mentioned their re-arranged curriculum units to us social studies teachers, and especially explained their learning activity. If we had known we were doing similar projects, we could have either 1) better coordinated our teaching of the skills since I assume there was a lot of overlap, or 2) one of us could have done a different project so students had a range of learning opportunities during that time period.

With that in mind, I also overheard him saying something about getting summaries from his students after they read the science chapter. Summarizing is a skill I teach in English Language Arts as well, so I was curious if my colleague taught summarizing the same way I did, and if so, I could spend less time teaching it since he already had. I found my opportunity to ask about his summaries, and discovered that his use of the term is not at all how I use the term with my students.

My science colleague breaks the science chapter down into sections, each section with a specific topical question. Students read the chapter sections and then write important information that answers the question in a bullet pointed list. This bullet pointed list is what he is calling a summary.

I'm glad I asked. I was able to express that, to me, what he is calling a summary is what I would call notes. When I ask the students for a summary, I would expect students to take those notes and write them into a short 2-4 sentence paragraph that explains the main idea of a passage and major supporting details.

Fortunately, we have a good working relationship, and he could hear my interpretation without feeling attacked, and could also see the benefit of having a common understanding of some terms we both use. We decided it was worth bringing to a cross-curricular grade-level team meeting to see if we can come to some agreement about the term "summary".

With the CCSS expecting more content-related reading and writing, it is important that the door is opened to these cross-curricular discussions. Raising the students' literacy level means that we need to be clear and consistent with them if we are to help them use the same skills and strategies flexibly and fluently in any context. It won't work if each of us has our own definition of common terms like "summary".