Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan
One of the writing assignments I developed for
Unit 7 asks students to write their own historical fiction story using the
concepts they have learned about historical fiction in class. Before writing
their stories, students must first develop an outline and brainstorm ideas
following the explicit learning objectives, guidelines, and objectives. For
this task, I would use formative assessment, where I would provide my students
with specific criticism and chances for reflection to help them develop their
writing skills and confidence (Black and William, 1998). They would gain a
deeper understanding of the genre and be better able to write historical
fiction. Also, it will close the achievement gap by strengthening teachers'
instructions and increasing student engagement and learning. The following will
be done in my classroom as formative evaluation for a story writing assignment:
When the students work on their stories, I will
first keep track of their progress by reading what they write, seeing what they
do, and asking them for feedback since formative assessment is crucial for
helping students improve their work and grow their skills (Sadler, 1989). I
will actively participate in offering comments to students as they work through
the writing process, concentrating on certain facets of the assignment and how
they connect to specific learning objectives (Hattie and Timperley, 2007), as
well as areas for development. The feedback will be focused on the specific
elements of the story, such as characterization that fits within the historical
context of the story, plot based on the plot development that transfers readers
to a different time and place, dialogue that is authentic to the time and
setting, and the use of historical context with historical details and events
in their writing. The sheer fact that I can assess a student's understanding at
the moment by looking at their writing allows me to target instruction and
support for improving student learning as they have the opportunity to display
their knowledge in a genuine and relevant way.
Once they are done with their story writing, the
next stage I would take is one-on-one conferences with students to provide feedback
and promote students' writing development (Langer and Applebee, 1987). They
will be directed to redraft their tale in response to the teacher's criticism
after I ask them about their writing process, offer feedback, and point out
areas for development. For writing assignments, I hold one-on-one conferences
with students so that I can give them customized feedback, foster
relationships, and let them take responsibility for their learning. Wiggins
(2012) highlights the value of student ownership of learning and contends that
encouraging student engagement and motivation requires the use of
individualized feedback. I may also respond to specific issues and offer
focused assistance to help my students become better writers.
Following the redrafting, I'll invite the
students to exchange stories with peers and give one another constructive
criticism centred on the details of the stories. A peer review exercise like
this one is a successful form of formative assessment that allows students to
obtain feedback on their work and develop their abilities. By having my
students participate in peer review for writing assignments, I will be able to
promote teamwork while enhancing their communication and critical thinking
abilities. They can get input from peers who have a range of viewpoints, which
can help them grasp things better and motivate them to improve their work to
make it stronger.
Students will be instructed to use a rubric when
they are reviewing so that they can offer a distinct and uniform set of standards
for evaluating their peers' writing and facilitate students giving more
detailed and helpful criticism to their peers (Andrade and Du, 2007). After the
peer review is finished, I will encourage the students to assess what they have
done by considering their own learning and pinpointing areas that need
improvement. A self-assessment checklist will be provided for them to use in
assessing their writing. Self-assessment encourages metacognition and supports
students in taking charge of their learning; therefore, I wanted to get them
engaged in it. Through self-reflection, my students may discover their areas of
strength and development, which can guide future writing tasks and enhance
their overall writing abilities.
Finally, I will use the exit tickets to gather
feedback from students, in which I will ask them to list one item they learned
and one query they have regarding the writing assignment. I will be able to get
rapid feedback on students' understanding and development by using exit tickets
for writing assignments. I will also reflect on the assessment process and make
use of the knowledge I have gained to guide my future instruction and aid
students in maintaining and advancing their writing abilities. To get a whole
picture of your student's writing development, I think it's crucial to use a
variety of formative assessment approaches.
Thus, by taking these actions, I may
successfully conduct the formative assessment for a story writing assignment in
the classroom and assist my students in effectively improving their writing
abilities.
References
Andrade, H. G., & Du, Y. (2007). Student
perspectives on rubric-referenced assessment. Practical Assessment, Research
& Evaluation, 12(2), 1-10. https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=edpsych_fac_scholar
Black, P., & William, D. (1998). Assessment and
classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy &
Practice, 5(1), 7-74. https://assess.ucr.edu/media/756/download
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of
feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.
http://www.columbia.edu/~mvp19/ETF/Feedback.pdf
Langer, J. A., & Appleby, A. N. (1987). How
writing shapes thinking: A study of teaching and learning. NCTE.
http://associationdatabase.co/archives/15n1-2/15n1-2burnham.pdf
Sadler, D. R. (1989). Formative assessment and the
design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18(2), 119-144.
http://michiganassessmentconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/Formative-Assessment-and-Design-of-Instructional-Systems.pdf
Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective
feedback.
https://pdo.ascd.org/lmscourses/PD13OC005/media/FormativeAssessmentandCCSwithELALiteracyMod_3-Reading2.pdf
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