The beginning of year assessment scores are in, and they are not good. On average more than half of all students are not on the grade level. If you are teaching language arts this year, you know that if your students were to be assessed on writing, the already low language arts achievement would plummet to a new low.
The learning interruption of the past three years has produced students who are struggling writers. In my 3rd grade, most of my students are still working on writing one sentence with proper punctuation, spacing, and capitalization. Keep in mind that before the pandemic, we only worked on these skills with special education students.
To make teaching more rigorous, several states have incorporated short and extended response questions into their end-of-the-year state assessment. However, teaching students how to respond to short and/or extended response questions will take more than a review at the end of the year. The actual instruction on proper writing techniques should start today. Teachers and parents know how difficult is to both teach and learn writing.
This is going to hold especially true in my classroom this year in which more than half of my students are at the first grade reading level or lower. Getting them ready to successfully pass the end-of-the-year exam will take sustained and focused practice.
To put things into perspective, 46% of 4th graders in Texas received 0 points on the extended response questions in the spring of 2023.
The writing process has to be practiced and internalized in order to become a part of the writing process. Reviewing the grading rubric provided by your state is helpful. Still, overall if students are to receive full credit for their response, they need to follow the proper response steps.
I have just posted the constructed response pack that I am currently using with my class. Each response page includes a checklist that serves as a guide and reflection.
In addition to grade-level text and constructive response questions, I include text analysis activities that provide additional instruction and opportunities to increase reading comprehension along with writing skills.
Similar Resources:
Mrs. Lena, M.Ed.
Follow KidsRead on Pinterest
Kids Read 