Developing a School-Wide Writing Plan

1. Developing a School-Wide Writing Plan By: Amanda Burleson

2. Writing Assessment Background for North Carolina North Carolina began to assess writing in 1983-1984 school year, for 6 and 9 graders. North Carolina then shifted in 1995-1996 and decided to assess students in writing in 4th, 7th, and 10th grades. Since this change writing assessment scores gradually went up until 2001-2002 when there was a 22 point drop in fourth grade scores from the previous year.

3. Reasons for Writing Score Decline • State officials were concerned about the drop and therefore did not release test scores until they had the opportunity to examine testing irregularities. • Many parents, educators, school, county, and state administrators, and test officials offered many reasons for the 22 point drop. -awkward wording in the prompt -prompt was not developmentally appropriate -student’s did not write well -teacher’s did not teach well

4. North Carolina assessment officials did not identify any irregularities but chose not to include the writing scores as a part of the accountability formula for the 2001-2002 school year. Low writing scores would not be factored into the formula to determine which school personnel would receive ABC bonus money. • Since 2001-2002, writing assessment scores have yet to be reincluded in North Carolina Accountability Formula. • This year was projected to be the first writing scores would be reincluded.

5. North Carolina’s Scoring Model For Writing • The evaluation model changed in 2003-2004 from a holistic scoring model to an analytic scoring model. -holistic +/- for grammar and 1-4 score for content -analytic 0-2 for grammar and 1-4 for content

6. Action Research: Create a School-Wide Writing Plan • Due to these changes Cove Creek School has decided to implement a school-wide writing plan to improve low writing scores and address writing instruction consistency within our K-8 school. • Principal assembled a group of teacher facilitators to lead writing discussion and develop the writing plan. -K-2 representative -3-5 representative -6-8 representative

7. Teacher Survey • 20-50 minutes daily, with most teachers spending 30-45 minutes daily on writing instruction. • All teachers surveyed integrate writing. • Teachers model writing from 2x a month to everyday. • Teachers conferenced with students from daily to once a month. • All teachers who responded to the writing survey said that they use graphic organizers. Teachers noted that they used the North Carolina Standard Course of Study or county alignment documents to determine grammar that should be taught. • Some teachers claimed they used varying formats for writing; however, others did not really understand what a writing format is.

8. Researched Methods to Improve Writing Instruction • writing across the curriculum • utilizing writing process • using writer’s workshop • teaching grammar in context • using graphic organizers to plan stories • consistent assessment practices, such as rubrics, • write in a variety of modes and genres • using children’s literature as exemplar models • using a variety of writing formats • ways to consistently model writing. http://www.watauga.k12.nc.us/cc/page13.htm

9. Steps to Leading Writing Discussion • 1. Grade level teachers should meet to look at curriculum (NCSCOS) and alignment documents which are board approved policies, to be implemented in the classrooms which are aligned with the NCSCOS, teachers were then asked to use the materials to complete the created template. • 2. Teachers will then use the curriculum information found in the curriculum and alignment documents and recorded on the template to develop grade level expectations. • After grade level expectations are developed then teachers should meet with the grade level above and the grade level below to discuss expectations and to make adjustments as needed. • 4. With the information gathered thus far then grade levels should meet to develop a yearlong plan for writing, using the expectations as a guide. • 5. Finally, grade level spans meet K-2, 3-5, 6-8 to ensure that there is flow and consistency to the Cove Creek Writing Plan.

10. Strategies to Include When Working on Step 4 of the Writing Plan • How do you assess each mode of writing? • Do you use rubrics in your assessment? • How can you integrate writing into other subject areas? • How can you involve parents in the writing process? • Do you use graphic organizers in the planning process of writing? • Do you use literature links to teach writing? • Do you teach grammar as part of writing or is it a separate subject? • Then teachers were asked to bring 2 examples of literature connections, graphic organizers, and rubric examples to next meeting.

11. Reflection • I also gained a deeper understanding of the new analytic writing scoring model and the impact that the change in scoring model could have on student writing scores. • I was able to connect the implementation of the new analytic scoring model, to researching the most effective ways to teach grammar. • I learned was to address low writing scores, including writing across the curriculum; using the writing process; using Writer’s Workshop; using graphic organizers to plan stories; consistent assessment practices (such as rubrics); teaching a variety of modes and genres; using children’s literature as exemplar models, using a variety of writing formats, and ways to model writing.

12. Through leading the other teachers through the steps of creating a school-wide writing plan, I believe that teachers have become more familiar with what is expected in writing from their students at the particular grade level they are teaching. Now teachers are using common writing terms and strategies when discussing writing. • My hope is that by leading the teachers through the process of developing a writing plan we create more consistency in writing instruction and strategies at Cove Creek School, thereby raising writing test scores. • Perhaps students will be more likely to retain a positive attitude toward writing while learning ways to improve their performance on writing assessments. But most importantly, I hope they will use writing to as a tool to express themselves.

13. Resourses • National Council of Teachers of English Website- • Develop An Elementary School Writing Policy http://www.ncte.org/prog/writing/policy/110613.htm • What Research Says About Writing In The Early Grades, K-2 • http://www.ncte.org/prog/writing/research/113328.htm • What Research Says About Writing In The Intermediate Grades, 3-5 • http://www.ncte.org/prog/writing/research/115617.htm • North Carolina Department of Public Instruction • Writing Assessment at Grades 4, 7, and 10, and State Board Update on Writing. • http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/writing/sbeudateindex.htm • Information on New Analytic Scoring-Online Interactive Training System • http://cuacs8.mck.ncsu.edu/ncpublicschools/accountability/testing/writing/mainpage.htm • Associated Press. May 22, 2002. “Fourth Grade Writing Test Results Delayed After State Interrupts Grading.” Ashville Citizen-Times Retrieved February 28, 2005. • Available: http://www.orig.citizen -times.com/cache/article/news/13399.shtml • Chapman, Carmen (1990). “Authentic Writing Assessment.” Practical Assessment Research and Evaluation. Retrieved March 8, 2005. Available: http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=2&n=7 • Chin, Beverly Ann. (2000). “The Role Of Grammar In Improving Student’s Writing,” Sadlier-Oxford. N. Pg. Online. Internet. Retrieved online March 8, 2005. Available: http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/lang/papers/chinpaper.html

14. Resources (cont.) • Danielson, Lana M. (2000) “The Improvement Of Student Writing: What Research Says.” Journal of School Improvement. Retrieved online February 28, 2005. Available: • http://www.ncacasi.org/jsi/200v1i1/improvement • Dulaney, Chuck. (2004). “North Carolina Writing Assessment Results 2003-2004.” E&R Report #04.34. Retrieved February 28, 2005. Available: • http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:TN8RzrOCzeYJ:www.wcpss.net/evaluation-research/reports/2004/0434_writing2004.pdf+north=carolina%2Bwriting+test%2Baccountability&hl=en • Fernandes, Deidre. June 28, 2002. “Scores Give Rise to the Blame Game.” Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved: February 28, 2005. Available: http://www.journalnow.com • Goldfarb, Carolyn. (August 1999) “Ninja Turtles, Space Aliens, An Regular Folks: A Fifth Grade Genre Study of Fiction.” Primary Voices K-6 Vol.8, Number 1. pgs. 22-28 • Moskal, Barbara. (2000). “Scoring Rubrics: What, When, and How?” Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation. Retrieved March 8, 2005. Available: • http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n=3 • Moskal, Barbara, M. (2003). “Recommendations For Developing Classroom Performance Assessments and Scoring Rubrics.” Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation Retrieved Online: February 28, 2005. Available: http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=8&n=14 • Nia, Isoke Titilayo. (August1999). “Units of Study in the Writing Workshop.” Primary Voices K-6. Vol. 8, Number 1. pg.3-12. • Reduce, Anna Danon. (August 1999). “Genre Study of Nonfiction Writing: Feature Articles, Editorials, and Essays.” Primary Voices K-6. Vol. 8, Number 1. pgs. 37-44 • Tierney, Robin&Marielle Simon (2004). “What’s Still Wrong With Rubrics: Focusing On The Consistency Of Performance Criteria Across Scale Levels.” Practical Assessment Research and Evaluation Practical Assessment Research and Evaluation. Retrieved March 8, 2005. Available: http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v+9&n=2