PREPARING 8TH AND 10TH GRADE STUDENTS FOR THE FCAT WRITING

ASSESSMENT

Department of Secondary Curriculum

State Overview: AYP Information

All students who are enrolled in October FTE (Survey 2) and February FTE (Survey 3) and day of test are part of the writing denominator.

The AYP passing score is a 3. AYP calculation includes the percent of eligible

students scoring 3 or above. The AYP writing criteria is 90% proficient or at

least a 1% increase from the prior year. Total and each subgroup needs to meet AYP to

qualify for Safe Harbor and Growth Model.

State Overview: School Grade Information

Standard Curriculum students who are enrolled in October FTE (Survey 2) and February FTE (Survey 3) and the day of the test are part of the denominator.

Standard Curriculum Students - includes ESE students identified as speech impaired, gifted, and/or hospital/homebound.

Standard Curriculum Students - includes ELL students enrolled for more than two years in an ELL program.

The School Grade Accountability number is the percentage of students scoring a 4 or higher.

FY11 Scoring Information

There will be only one prompt at all grade levels (4, 8, and 10).

The writing mode of the prompt will be either persuasive or expository at grades 8 and 10.

Each writing response will have one reader scoring.

The DOE plans to use the percentage of students scoring a 4 and above for the purposes of school grading.

FY09 Palm Beach Writes to FY09 FCAT Writing

24 25 25

53 5233

23 2342

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 10

Exact match with FCAT Writing One or more higher on FCAT Writing

One or more lower on FCAT Writing

Dr. Marc Baron Chief of Performance Accountability

Palm Beach Writes Summary- EDW Report RTSCW0147

Palm Beach Writes – EDW Report RTSCW0146

FY11FCAT Writing Test Materials This year, the prompt will NOT be

located in the FCAT Writing booklet. Each student will receive 3 papers:

planning sheet, prompt sheet, and a writing booklet.

Avoid Template Writing

Template writing is an instructional method that imposes a rehearsed or prescribed format for responding to any prompt, regardless of the topic, mode, or intended purpose.

In this case, students are taught to memorize and habitually insert the same words, phrases, sentences, settings, organizational structures, creative writing devices, problems, and/or conclusions into the response.

Administrative Practices

Check EDW to ensure accuracy of data Palm Beach Writes Summary-RTSCW0147 Palm Beach Writes – RTSCW0146

Read a sampling of essays to monitor student progress

Identify students that need additional support Structure and align pull-outs and tutorials that

support classroom instruction Ensure communication occurs between teachers,

coaches, and outside support Visit classrooms to monitor writing instructional

practices

High School Consideration

Retained 9th graders that rolled to 10th at completion of semester 1 In most cases, these students have been in

English II and are prepared. Retained 10th graders that did NOT roll to

11th at completion of semester 1 In most cases, these students have been in

English III and have not received any FCAT Writes instruction/practice.

FocusExpository and Persuasive

Brainstorm for big ideas from a prompt Organize your thoughts Develop a thesis statement (make sure it’s broad

enough) Develop points to support the thesis (these are

the body paragraphs) Plan the essay Develop topic sentences for each paragraph Include relevant information Support with facts, anecdotes, quotes, sensory

details, etc. Incorporate a meaningful introduction/lead and

ending Answer the W,W,W,W,W,H questions

Organization

Students may utilize the 5 paragraph essay structure.

Experiment with different introductions, conclusions, transitions

Utilize transitions within paragraphs in addition to the start of paragraphs

Support

Expository and Persuasive Anecdotes/incidents Sensory details Explanations Facts Examples Evidence Outside sources Quotations

GOAL OF SUPPORTGOAL OF SUPPORT

Development

Use of extension and elaboration to provide clear and sufficient support of

the central idea

Expository - Before

I like to go to school because it’s fun. I have a great time at school. At school we do a lot of very awesome and fun things.

The teacher always teaches us good things. I also have a fun time at recess.

School is a very fun place to be.

Little Support

Layers of Support-Expository

Bare

Extended

I like to go to school because it is fun, especially when the teacher lets us play games at recess. We play kickball, tag, and hula hoops. We run and jump and talk with our friends and get to know them. We usually go out for recess after lunch, but sometimes in the morning after math.

(anecdote) Yesterday, we played Mrs. Jones class in kickball and I scored the run that would give us a 6-4 victory.(Fact) It’s a known fact that students need exercise to stay focused in school.

reason

explanation

evidence

Layered

Support Strateg

ies

Reason

Explanation

Evidence

Anecdotes

Facts

Lists

Statistics/ Data

Outside Sources

Quotes

Persuasive- Before

Students should have access to the internet in school libraries because they

need it. They don’t have it at home. They have to have it to do work. We

should have internet in school libraries because we need it for schoolwork.

Legislators should not take it away from school libraries because students need

the internet to do schoolwork. Repetitive, Weak Support

Layers of Support-PersuasiveMs. Smith, my English II teacher,

said, “Research ten facts about the Globe Theater.” How am I going to do this since I don’t have internet access at home, I thought? A look of worry spread across my face as I contemplated my options. I sighed in relief as I realized that I could use the Internet in the school’s library. As I was pulling up my information, I looked around to see many of my fellow students also using the Internet for schoolwork. In fact, Mr. Jones, the librarian, told me, “We not only offer internet access for students that don’t have it at home,

but I can assist them in finding the information they need.” In my school, 75% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. Their parents often work many jobs just to afford the basics. Internet access is not a basic. Legislators, please consider the fate of many economically disadvantaged students when deciding whether or not to remove Internet access from school libraries.

Persuasion

Quotations

Show Don’t Tell

Statistics

Internal Though

ts

Explanation

Conventions

Reread Check for flow Check for meaning and clarity Check for spelling of on grade level words

Prioritize focus, organization, and support

Tracking Time

10 min.

Colored ClockOnline Clock -http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown-timer/

Instructional Practices

Students write EVERY DAY (Weekly timed and daily untimed)

Teachers read students’ writing EVERY DAY Determine areas of individual needs Look for trends or patterns across the class

Teach strategic minilessons based on needs Utilize anchor papers (scoring/examples and

non-examples) Pull children together for small group with one

teaching point Confer with individual students Provide prescriptive feedback, document, and

monitor progress

Class - Identify Trends and Patterns

Regularly read student writing to document and monitor progress.

Use the notes for future planning and instruction.

The trends should provide the basis for whole group, small group, and pullout instruction.

Individual - Conference Notes

Document the feedback:

Teaching point Compliment Next steps

Use the notes for future planning and instruction

Provide students with a written reminder of the compliment and teaching point

Prescriptive Feedback: Characteristics

Provides SPECIFIC feedback about students’ writing, focusing on: Areas of strength Areas which need improvement

Allows students to know exactly what needs

to be improved and how they can improve it

Is an essential part of the writing process

RESOURCES

WRITING CURRICULUM

Access via the ELA landing page on Learning Village.

RESOURCE GUIDE

RESOURCES FOR:• Writing Process • Writing Prompts • Scoring • Minilessons• Teacher and Student

Tools

Available on the Secondary ELA Learning Village Page

Contact Information

Diana YoheSecondary ELA Program

Planneryohe@palmbeach.k12.fl.us

Office: 357-5989 (PX: 25989)

Cell: 951-8326