Understanding writing assessment: what every teacher should know – English with Cambridge
Objective: To explore what makes a good writing assessment and how teachers can effectively evaluate
writing skills.
1. Interactive Polls and Questions:
Examples of bad assessment practices:
- Asking "What is one plus one?" in a writing test (not assessing writing ability).
- Providing only a letter grade without feedback to help students improve.
Example of good assessment practice:
- Specifying the intended reader for a writing task.
2. What to Assess in Writing
Aspects of Writing Ability:
- being able to spell words correctly, writing text messages and even filling in application forms
- Sub-skills include: Handwriting, Spelling, Grammar, Accuracy, Vocabulary, Originality, Coherence,
Cohesion, Structure, Creativity, Style, Editing, Planning, Clarity, Genre, Synthesis, Argument, Punctuation,
Register, Organisation, Use of humour, Authorial voice, Reviewing, Monitoring
Factors to Consider:
- Who is being assessed? (Age; Education; First language; Culture; Gender; Level of competency;
Profession; Computer literacy).
- Level of Competency: For beginners, focus on basic skills like spelling; for advanced learners, focus on
skills like register and argumentation.
- Purpose of Assessment: Proficiency exams vs. Classroom instruction.
3. How to Elicit Writing Samples
Task Design:
- Tailor tasks to the learner’s age, level, and context.
Example: Picture-based tasks for young learners; business-related tasks for adults.
- Specify genre, audience, and purpose in the instructions to elicit all aspects of writing ability.
Example: "Write a letter to your friend Andrew using all of your notes."
Assessing Specific Skills:
- Planning: Use brainstorming, mind maps, or outlines.
- Paragraphing: Ask students to insert paragraph breaks into a block of text.
- Collaboration: In classrooms, assess group writing processes.
4. How to Evaluate Writing
Marking Approaches:
- Simple Tasks: Focus on correctness (e.g., spelling, vocabulary).
- Complex Tasks: Provide detailed feedback on paragraphing, appropriateness, and structure.
Extended Writing:
- Holistic scoring: Assign a single score based on overall performance.
- Analytic scoring: Break down scores into categories (e.g., content, organization, language accuracy).
Context Matters:
- Classroom Context: Peer feedback, checklists, and detailed comments are appropriate.
- Large-Scale Testing: Single scores or summative assessments are more practical.
Cambridge English Mark Scheme (B2 Level):
- Four criteria:
1. Content: Ability to produce a message.
2. Communicative Achievement: Audience awareness and register.
3. Organization: Cognitive aspect of writing.
4. Language: Linguistic accuracy and range.
5. Practical Tips for Teachers
Objectivity in Grading: Agree on marking criteria with other teachers to ensure consistency.
Repeated Mistakes:
- Use targeted exercises to address specific errors (e.g., paragraphing tasks).
- Provide model answers for clarity.
Grammar Accuracy: Weight grammar based on the lesson’s focus (e.g., 100% for grammar-focused lessons,
less for holistic assessments).
Adding Enjoyment: Choose engaging topics relevant to students’ interests.
Efficient Feedback for Large Classes:
- Use tools like Write&Improve for automated feedback.
- Employ checklists or simple grades for quick evaluations.
