Improving Student Writing Skills - cse crafts

Assessment and the Traits of Good Writing
the traits. Specifically, we will look at the following two
issues that commonly derail teachers’ use of the traits:
• “My trait assessment doesn’t fit the standard
grading scale.”
• “Trait assessment just takes too long!”
Problem: “My trait assessment doesn’t fit the
standard grading scale.”
An average seven-trait assessment score is 3/5 for each
trait. Thus, if assessing all seven traits, an average total
score is 21/35. This translates to 60%, or a D on the
standard grading scale! Obviously, you would rather not
give your average students Ds. The numbers generated
in trait-based assessment work well for the purpose of
differentiating instruction, but when turning assessment
into a grade, you will need to transform the numbers
using one of two methods.
Solution 1: Use Writing Process Packet Materials to
“Pad” Seven-Trait Assessment
As part of a writing workshop, you may ask students
to turn in a packet of material demonstrating their use
of each step in the writing process. Thus, in addition to
the published copy of a student’s work, you would have
sheets for prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, etc.
While you will assess the published copy using the Traits
of Good Writing, you can give points for these additional
packet materials when defining a grade:
Advantages
A. Rewards organization and study skills by forcing students
to keep track of packet materials.
B. Reinforces writing process by giving points for evidence
of the various writing steps, rather than for only
the finished product.
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