OWA - · PDF file · 2009-09-25How does using OWA across one grade or throughout a...
Transcript of OWA - · PDF file · 2009-09-25How does using OWA across one grade or throughout a...
OWAOntario Writing Assessment
6Authors:Steven ReidMary Reid
Contributor:Heather McGowan
Foreword by:David Booth
Advisory Panel:Gwen Babcock, Teacher, Limestone District School Board
Roz Doctorow, Educational ConsultantJill Foster, English Facilitator, Durham District School Board
Michelle Haddad, Elementary Instructional Resource Teacher, Peel District School BoardColleen Hayward, Language Arts Resource Teacher, Toronto Catholic District School Board
Lee Jones-Imhotep, Literacy Coordinator, Toronto District School BoardMaureen Mancini, Teacher, Ottawa-Carleton Catholic District School Board
Kelly Rilley, Board Literacy Teacher, Windsor-Essex Catholic District School BoardAnn Varty, Program Consultant, Trillium Lakelands District School Board
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Table of Contents* Italic font indicates a reproducible
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
An Introduction to Ontario Writing Assessment (OWA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Why does OWA provide on-demand Writing Tasks? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Why is OWA an effective writing assessment tool? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2How was OWA developed and validated?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2What are OWA’s criteria for assessment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2How will OWA help you with assessment and ongoing instruction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Can OWA be used with other assessment practices? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4How does using OWA across one grade or throughout a school benefit students, teachers,
and school leaders? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Case Study: Mountaintop Public School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
OWA Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
OWA Writing Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11When do you administer the Writing Tasks? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Why is each Writing Task designated a specific text form, genre, and format? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12How do the Writing Tasks and the Writing Self-Assessment questionnaire correspond
to the expectations of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language (2006)? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Administering the OWA Writing Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Assessing the OWA Writing Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Accommodations for Special Education and ESL Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Example of the OWA Scoring Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20OWA Across the Grades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Writing Task 1—Start of Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Writing Rubric 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Writing Task 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Writing Task 1 Anchors and Rationales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Writing Task 2—Mid-Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Writing Rubric 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Writing Task 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Writing Task 2 Anchors and Rationales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Writing Task 3—End of Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Writing Rubric 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Writing Task 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Writing Task 3 Anchors and Rationales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Ontario Writing Assessment Class Tracking Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89OWA Overall Level Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Student Writing Self-Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Writing Self-Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Student Writing Attitude Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Writing Attitude Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
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How OWA Can Help Your Writing Program Succeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97What constitutes an effective writing program?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Why is assessment crucial to an effective writing program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97How does OWA help your writing program succeed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97What tools can you use with OWA to assess writing performance? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Elements of an Effective Writing Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98What are the key instructional elements of an effective writing program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98How do you use the four key instructional elements? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98How do you decide which of the four instructional elements to use, and when? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99How do you move students from supported writing and reading toward
independent practice? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99What are other elements of an effective writing program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100How can you use process writing and on-demand writing strategies? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100How can you teach spelling and word study effectively? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102How can you use your classroom resources to support student writing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Next Steps for Teaching Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Why is the writing conference an essential teaching strategy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105What other key writing strategies target writing skills? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105How else can you plan and incorporate next steps for teaching? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Planning Guide: OWA Instructional Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Instructional Writing Strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Next Steps for Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131How can OWA on-demand Writing Tasks be used to improve school achievement?. . . . . . . . . . . 131How can OWA results be used by a school to guide professional development? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133How can OWA be used in the teacher moderation process? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133How can OWA results be used by a school to improve student achievement? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Case Study: Applegate Public School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
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An Introduction to Ontario WritingAssessment (OWA)
The skillful use of classroom data allows us to identify strengths andweaknesses in student learning, monitor student progress towardspecified goals, make adjustments in instruction, measure the degree towhich students meet standards, and distinguish effective fromineffective instructional practice. Without data, instruction becomes aseries of well-intentioned but essentially “random acts of teaching.”
~FOX 2001
Learning how to become an effective writer is a highly complex process.Writing involves using a wide range of skills and tasks to constructmeaningful messages for various audiences and purposes.
As a teacher, you require an understanding of each student’s strengthsand gaps in writing skills in order to plan and implement a targetedwriting program. When you are able to provide explicit instructionalstrategies based on this assessment, you help students develop the skillsnecessary to become effective writers for a variety of audiences andpurposes.
Ontario Writing Assessment has been developed to assist you inachieving these goals.
Why does OWA provide on-demand Writing Tasks?
OWA helps you to gather the information about students’ skills that youneed in order to plan effective writing instruction. OWA provides on-demand Writing Tasks that are specific to each grade level, from SeniorKindergarten to Grade 8. They provide students with opportunities towrite independently for an intended purpose and audience.
By completing these Writing Tasks, students demonstrate their ability tomeet the overall expectations of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8:Language (2006), which include the following:
• generate, gather, and organize ideas and information
• use a variety of literary and graphic forms and stylistic elements
• use editing and proofreading skills and strategies, and knowledge oflanguage conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and presenttheir work effectively
• reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, and areas forimprovement
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An effective writing programincludes both on-demand andprocess writing opportunities.Most of us seldom publish ourwriting; on-demand writing iswhat we typically do everyday in e-mails, letters, andother work- and school-related writing. The OWA on-demand Writing Tasks arecompleted by the studentindependently, which isconsistent with the revisedOntario Achievement Chart(2006).
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Why is OWA an effective writing assessment tool?
OWA is a consistent writing assessment tool that can be used by allteachers—new and experienced—in assessing the OWA on-demandWriting Tasks, as well as the many other pieces of writing that studentscreate for various purposes during the year. OWA helps you build on yourunderstanding of how to level student work in line with the revisedOntario Achievement Chart (2006), and more easily make confidentdecisions when analyzing and assessing students’ writing. OWA supportsyou in your analysis of students’ strengths and needs, allowing you tohelp students improve their skills. This common assessment toolfacilitates your professional sharing with other teachers in your school oracross schools by providing a common understanding of what studentwork looks like at various levels of achievement.
How was OWA developed and validated?
OWA was developed in response to an identified need for a commonwriting assessment tool for use across Ontario. The following validationstrategies were used to ensure that OWA is both a valid and a reliableassessment tool:
• An eight-member OWA Advisory Team consisting of classroomteachers, school administrators, system curriculum leaders, anddistrict leaders was formed. This Advisory Team reviewed andcommented on the program construct, structure, and all content,including the on-demand Writing Tasks, task-specific Rubrics,Anchors, and Rationales.
• During the 2006–2007 school year, the OWA Writing Tasks were field-tested in a number of school districts across Ontario. More than26 000 Writing Tasks were completed by students as part of this field-test study.
• Student Anchors were selected from the field-test data. These Anchorsprovided specific examples of writing performance for each categoryof the revised Ontario Achievement Chart for language based on afour-level scale. They were field-tested as Anchors by more than 500teachers. Feedback supported modifications to the Writing Tasks,teacher support material, and the development of Rubrics.
• An 18-member Validation Committee, consisting of classroomteachers, school administrators, system curriculum leaders, anddistrict leaders, conducted a final review of the task-specific Rubrics,Writing Tasks, Anchors, and Rationales.
What are OWA’s criteria for assessment?
OWA uses the criteria identified in each of the categories of knowledgeand skills outlined in the revised Ontario Achievement Chart forlanguage as the basis for assessing student writing. As you learn to scorestudent writing using OWA, you will gain a deeper understanding of howto assess writing using the four achievement chart categories: Knowledgeand Understanding, Thinking, Communication, and Application. Each
OWA has been developed for students in SeniorKindergarten and Grades 1through 8.
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category provides important criteria that can be used to determine thelevel of student achievement. When you assess writing in each categorythrough the OWA process, your programming and next steps areintentional, purposeful, and targeted.
How will OWA help you with assessment and ongoing instruction?
• Step 1: Three times throughout the school year, you provide eachstudent with an OWA on-demand Writing Task and, if you wish, theWriting Self-Assessment and/or the Writing Attitude Survey.
• Step 2: Use the criteria outlined in the task-specific Writing Rubric,and the Anchors and Rationales, to assign a level for each of the fourcategories that reflects the student’s performance.
• Step 3: Record the level for each of the four categories on the ClassTracking Sheet. Use these results to help determine the strengths andneeds of individual students, and of the class as a whole, in each ofthe four categories. You can also use the Class Tracking Sheet tomeasure the progress over time of individual students and the class.
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Six Traits of Writing and OWAAssessment of specific traits of writing (organization, ideas, voice, word choice, conventions, and sentencefluency) is embedded in the OWA process of scoring student work through the four categories of knowledge andskills of the Achievement Chart. Although the traits of writing overlap across the four categories, each traitcorrelates most strongly with one or two particular categories. This chart identifies specific writing traits and theassessment criteria that correlate to each of the four categories.
Knowledge and Understanding
Organization The writing demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the text form throughorganization, features, order, and structure. The writing includes effective sequencing,transitions, and appropriate features for the text form. Major text forms include narrative,recount, report, explanation, opinion, and procedural.
Thinking
Ideas andContent
The writing demonstrates ideas that are clear and focused. Details are relevant and support themain idea. The student generates ideas that are connected, and is able to support ideas witheffective reasons. Critical and creative thinking processes are demonstrated to enhance ideas(e.g., perspective, imagination, bias).
Communication
Voice
Word Choice
Conventions
SentenceFluency
The writing communicates an awareness of audience and purpose, and an understanding ofthe needs of the reader (e.g., style and tone).
Appropriate vocabulary is used throughout the writing to enhance the piece (e.g., wordchoice, descriptive language, linking words, action verbs).
Throughout the writing, conventions are used effectively (e.g., grammar, spelling,punctuation).
Sentences are effectively crafted, with varied structures that allow for fluent reading.
Application
Ideas andContent(transfer andconnection)
There is a transfer of knowledge and skills to the writing task to develop the content. Thewriting demonstrates connections among topic, personal experiences, and life situations toenhance the main idea.
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Can OWA be used with other assessment practices?
OWA is meant to be used in conjunction with other assessment practicesincluding observation, conferences, anecdotal notes, and portfolios.When you incorporate all these methods of assessment, you will gain afull and accurate picture of students’ writing abilities.
OWA Assessment Process
Step 1: Administer
Step 2: Assess
Step 3: Record
Step 4: Plan
If you administered the Writing Task as a summative assessment atthe end of an instructional unit, refer to the Overall Level Guide, andcalculate an overall level for each student’s writing performance.
• Step 4: Review Next Steps for Teaching Writing to guide yourinstructional writing strategies for individual students and the class inthe four categories of knowledge and skills as identified in theAchievement Chart.
The following graph illustrates the sequence of use of some of the toolsprovided for student and class assessment.
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–2
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
You’ve been asked by a children’s publishing company to select any animal andwrite a tale or legend that tells how it came to be or how it got one of its specialor unique features.
Brainstorm ideas here.
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WRITING TASK 2
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
OWA Grade 6 Writing Rubric 2: Animal Tale Narrative
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
Knowledge andUnderstanding
Thinking
Categories and Criteria
Demonstrates knowledge andunderstanding of the text form, genre,and format
A narrative includes
• beginning, middle, and end, and iswritten sequentially
• characters, setting, problem, andresolution
• details that relate to main idea orevent
• Demonstrates limitedknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with limitedeffectiveness)
• Demonstrates someknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with someeffectiveness)
• Demonstratesconsiderable knowledgeand understanding ofthe text form, genre,and format (e.g.,develops characterswhose actionscontribute to the plotand events in the story,with considerableeffectiveness)
• Demonstrates thoroughknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with a highdegree of effectiveness)
Generates ideas that are connected andis able to support ideas with details andreasons (e.g., supports main ideas withrelevant information)
Demonstrates critical and creativethinking processes to enhance writing(e.g., understands/writes from aperspective, writes with imagination)
• Generates and supportsideas with limitedeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with limitedeffectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with someeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with some effectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with considerableeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with considerableeffectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with a highdegree of effectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with a high degree ofeffectiveness
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LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4Communication
Categories and Criteria
Expresses and organizes ideas innarrative form (e.g., logicalorganization)
Communicates for audience (anyreader) and purpose (to entertain) (e.g., style, voice, tone)
Uses conventions (e.g., grammar,spelling, punctuation) and appropriatevocabulary (e.g., descriptive language,linking words, action verbs)
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith limitedeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith limitedeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with limitedeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith some effectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith some effectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with someeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith considerableeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith considerableeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary withconsiderableeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith a high degree ofeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith a high degree ofeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with a highdegree of effectiveness
Transfers knowledge and skills (e.g.,concept of the features of an animal) tothe writing task
Demonstrates an ability to makeconnections among topic (an animal),personal experiences, and life situationsto enhance writing (e.g., connectinganimal’s feature to personal knowledgeand/or world experiences)
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with limitedeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with limitedeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with someeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with someeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with considerableeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations withconsiderableeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with a high degreeof effectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with a highdegree of effectiveness
Application LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment 6
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Ontario Writing Assessment Class Tracking Sheet
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Writing Strategy
Anticipation Guide to Writing X X
Brainstorming X X
Checking Conventions X
Collective Book Writing X X X X
Descriptive Writing X X X X
Exploring Sentence Structure X
Free Write X X
Graphic Organizers X X X
Highlighting Notes X X
Journal Writing X X X X
Literary Letters X X X
Mirror an Author X X X
Paragraph Rebuilding X X X
R.A.F.T.S.: Role, Audience, Format, Topic, X X XStrong Verb
Ranking Text Samples X
R.I.O. Questioning X X X X
Similarities and Differences X X
Text Dissection X X X
Text Rebuilding X X
The 5 Ws and 1 H X X X
Whose Point of View? X X
Word Lists X X
Word Wall X
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How does using OWA across one grade or throughout a schoolbenefit students, teachers, and school leaders?
OWA provides students, classroom teachers, grade teams, division teams,and school leadership teams with
• consistency in writing expectations for students
• common understanding of the criteria for assessing student work
OWA enables educators to
• assess students’ writing in a consistent manner
• determine patterns and trends
• set goals for individual student progress
• investigate key instructional strategies
• plan and deliver next steps for instruction
• re-assess to measure students’ writing progress and determine theeffectiveness of implemented strategies
• set goals for class and school improvement
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The following Case Study is an example of how a school could use OWAand the teacher moderation process to address writing achievement andplan targeted next steps for success in the classroom.
CASE STUDY: MOUNTAINTOP PUBLIC SCHOOL
Addressing Writing Achievement
The Mountaintop staff meets at the beginning of the year to discuss thecurrent status of writing achievement and to plan next steps. The teachersrequire specific information about the strengths and needs of individualstudents and groups of students. The following professional learning plan isdetermined:
1) Staff meet to review the OWA resource and to ensure a consistentunderstanding of the resource, including its components and how toadminister the Writing Tasks.
2) Within one week, teachers administer an OWA Writing Task; staffteaching the same grade choose and administer the same Writing Taskso that they can discuss their students’ responses as a group.
3) Teacher moderation sessions are held soon after teachers have finishedadministering an OWA Task.
Assessing the OWA Writing Tasks through Teacher Moderation
The staff decides to form three teacher moderation groups: SK–Grade 3,Grades 4–6, and Grades 7–8. Each teacher brings the following to themoderation session:
• their students’ responses to the OWA Writing Task (i.e., completedwriting samples)
• multiple copies of at least two students’ writing samples to share withthe moderation group continued
Is OWA developmental?
OWA is not intended to bedevelopmental. All Rubrics,Anchors, and Rationalesrepresent end-of-yearachievement; they do notincrease in difficulty within agrade. This allows teachers toidentify strengths and needsbased on the writing skillsrequired to exit the grade atthe provincial level.
Teacher moderation is aprofessional learningstrategy in which teacherscome together tocollaboratively assessstudents’ work. Moderationsessions promoteconsistency of assessmentand provide the opportunityto collectively planinstructional next steps.
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• their students’ responses to the OWA Writing Self-Assessment (p. 92)
• their students’ responses to the OWA Writing Attitude Survey (p. 94)
• OWA Planning Guide (p. 108)
• OWA Class Tracking Sheet (p. 89)
• Ontario Language Curriculum and other Ministry resources (e.g., Guides to Effective Instruction and Expert Panel Reports)
• various literacy resources to use for planning next steps
Moderation session begins:
• The student writing samples that each teacher brought to share aredistributed to the moderation group.
• A teacher reads aloud a student’s writing sample to listen for fluency.
• The group discusses the pre-set criteria in the task-specific WritingRubric, and reviews the Anchors and Rationales, to build a commonunderstanding of the four levels of achievement.
• The group collaboratively scores the writing sample in one of the fourcategories of knowledge and skills, using the four levels of achievement.
• The group moves on to score the writing sample in the remaining threecategories.
• The teacher makes detailed notes about each category of knowledgeand skills, to use for planning next steps.
• The teacher records the student’s levels on the Class Tracking Sheet.
• After collectively scoring one or two student writing samples from eachclass, teachers continue assessing their students’ writing on their own,but ask for support from the group when questions arise.
Planning Next Steps through Teacher Moderation
After the assessment of the Writing Tasks is completed, teachers review theirClass Tracking Sheets and notes to determine possible patterns and trends intheir classes.
As a group, teachers • discuss the patterns and trends and identify areas for improvement
• collaborate on culminating tasks that can be used to assess studentgrowth in the identified areas after a period of targeted instruction
• collectively plan next steps by working backwards from the culminatingtasks to design scaffolded learning activities that move students towardindependence
For example, through the teacher moderation process, a Grade 6 teachernotices that• most students demonstrated strengths in the categories of Knowledge
and Understanding, Thinking, and Application
• many students demonstrated areas for improvement in the category ofCommunication
continued
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After reviewing students’ writing samples again, as well as the observationnotes made during scoring, the teacher realizes that a particular aspect ofcommunication is weak: the students lack a sense of style, voice, and tone.Also, word choice often does not meet the needs of the intended audience.
The teacher determines that a goal for many students in the class isimproving their skills in communicating to an intended audience using style,voice, and tone. The teacher uses the sections entitled How OWA Can HelpYour Writing Program Succeed (p. 97) and Next Steps for Teaching Writing(p. 105) to facilitate planning a four-week unit of study to target theseaspects of communication.
Inside the Classroom
Implementing Next StepsDuring the four-week unit of study, the teacher immerses the class inlistening and responding to rich literature that has a distinct style, voice, andtone. The teacher helps students closely examine elements of writing suchas descriptive word choice, metaphoric language, strong verbs, and how anauthor creates a distinct voice. The teacher carefully selects texts thatinterest students and demonstrate a unique style. Using read alouds, sharedreading, and guided reading lessons, these texts are revisited over a periodof several days. Students have ample opportunity to analyze the texts fromthe writer’s perspective. Questions are explored such as “How does thisauthor’s style make you feel as the reader? What writing techniques doesthe author use to create a unique voice? What powerful words and phrasesdoes the author use to express the voice?”
During modelled, shared, guided, and individual writing activities, theteacher employs various instructional strategies, including:
• Descriptive Writing (p. 114): students study descriptive writing and thenwrite descriptive passages using specific prompts
• Literary Letters (p. 120): students take on the roles of characters in atext and write a letter in the voice of that character
• Mirror an Author (p. 121): students study an author’s stylistic elementsand write or revise pieces of writing using that style
Assessing Progress and Adapting InstructionThe teacher continually assesses student progress using various strategiessuch as observation and writing conferences. Students are supported withcarefully scaffolded learning opportunities that allow them to independentlydemonstrate effective style, voice, and tone in their writing. At the end ofthe unit, the teacher administers a culminating task similar to the OWAWriting Task used to do the initial assessment. (This culminating task may beone that was developed during teacher moderation or one developedindependently.) The teacher assesses student responses to the culminatingtask, using the OWA Anchors and Rationales as general guidelines, todetermine progress made over the four-week unit of study.
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OWA Components
OWA consists of several components to help you assess student writing,identify students’ writing strengths and needs, and inform yourinstructional practices.
OWA and The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language (2006)Expectations (p. 14)
This chart shows how the OWA Writing Tasks and the OWA Writing Self-Assessment correspond to the expectations of the Ontario LanguageCurriculum.
Example of the OWA Scoring Process (p. 20)
This is an example of one Anchor scored in each of the four categories ofthe revised Ontario Achievement Chart for language. It provides insightinto a teacher’s reasoning during the assessment of the student work todetermine the level in each category.
OWA Text Forms, Genres, and Formats Across the Grades: SK–8 (p. 22)
This chart provides an overview of the text forms, genres, and formatsthat OWA covers for each grade, from Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8.
OWA Task-Specific Writing Rubrics, one for each Writing Task (pp. 24, 46, 68)
The three Writing Rubrics provide a guideline for assessing students’writing on the Writing Tasks for this grade level. They are organized intothe four categories of knowledge and skills in writing as outlined in therevised Ontario Achievement Chart: Knowledge and Understanding,Thinking, Communication, and Application.
Each Rubric outlines four levels of writing performance:
• Level 4—identifies writing achievement that surpasses the grade levelstandard
• Level 3—identifies writing achievement that is at grade levelstandard. (This level is shaded in the Writing Rubric.)
• Level 2—identifies writing achievement that is approaching the gradelevel standard
• Level 1—identifies writing achievement that falls much below thegrade level standard while still reflecting a passing grade
• Not Enough Evidence for Level 1 (NE1)—the student’s writing fallsmuch below the Level 1 Anchor and Rationale or the student writingsection is left blank
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LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4Communication
Categories and Criteria
Expresses and organizes ideas innarrative form (e.g., logicalorganization)
Communicates for audience (anyreader) and purpose (to entertain) (e.g., style, voice, tone)
Uses conventions (e.g., grammar,spelling, punctuation) and appropriatevocabulary (e.g., descriptive language,linking words, action verbs)
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith limitedeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith limitedeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with limitedeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith some effectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith some effectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with someeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith considerableeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith considerableeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary withconsiderableeffectiveness
• Expresses and organizesideas in narrative formwith a high degree ofeffectiveness
• Communicates foraudience and purposewith a high degree ofeffectiveness
• Uses conventions andvocabulary with a highdegree of effectiveness
Transfers knowledge and skills (e.g.,concept of the features of an animal) tothe writing task
Demonstrates an ability to makeconnections among topic (an animal),personal experiences, and life situationsto enhance writing (e.g., connectinganimal’s feature to personal knowledgeand/or world experiences)
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with limitedeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with limitedeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with someeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with someeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with considerableeffectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations withconsiderableeffectiveness
• Transfers knowledgeand skills to the writingtask with a high degreeof effectiveness
• Makes connectionsamong topic, personalexperiences, and lifesituations with a highdegree of effectiveness
Application LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
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WRITING TASK 2
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
OWA Grade 6 Writing Rubric 2: Animal Tale Narrative
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4
Knowledge andUnderstanding
Thinking
Categories and Criteria
Demonstrates knowledge andunderstanding of the text form, genre,and format
A narrative includes
• beginning, middle, and end, and iswritten sequentially
• characters, setting, problem, andresolution
• details that relate to main idea orevent
• Demonstrates limitedknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with limitedeffectiveness)
• Demonstrates someknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with someeffectiveness)
• Demonstratesconsiderable knowledgeand understanding ofthe text form, genre,and format (e.g.,develops characterswhose actionscontribute to the plotand events in the story,with considerableeffectiveness)
• Demonstrates thoroughknowledge andunderstanding of thetext form, genre, andformat (e.g., developscharacters whoseactions contribute tothe plot and events inthe story, with a highdegree of effectiveness)
Generates ideas that are connected andis able to support ideas with details andreasons (e.g., supports main ideas withrelevant information)
Demonstrates critical and creativethinking processes to enhance writing(e.g., understands/writes from aperspective, writes with imagination)
• Generates and supportsideas with limitedeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with limitedeffectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with someeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with some effectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with considerableeffectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with considerableeffectiveness
• Generates and supportsideas with a highdegree of effectiveness
• Demonstrates criticaland creative thinkingprocesses (e.g., developsimaginative ideas aboutthe animal’s feature)with a high degree ofeffectiveness
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OWA On-Demand Writing Tasks, three for each grade (pp. 26, 48, 70)
Three OWA Writing Tasks are provided at each grade level from SeniorKindergarten to Grade 8. One is to be completed early in the fall, one atmid-year, and one at the end of the year. Each Writing Task has beencreated to engage student interest and establish a purpose and audiencefor writing. The amount of space provided for student responses has beenchosen deliberately to guide the length of the responses. Additional papercan be provided to students if required.
The Writing Tasks require on-demand writing to be done in onecontinuous sitting to quickly provide an effective snapshot of students’writing strengths and needs. Some steps of process writing areaccomplished through the OWA Writing Tasks, such as brainstorming,drafting, revising, and editing; however, they are independentlyaccomplished by each student in a short period of time during thiswhole-class assessment.
OWA Anchors and Rationales, sixteen for each Writing Task (pp. 29–44, 51–66, 73–88)
For each of the Writing Tasks, OWA provides sixteen samples (or Anchors)of student writing. These comprise four samples (each one representing alevel, 1, 2, 3, or 4) of student writing for each of the four categories of theachievement chart. Note that all names on the writing samples have beenchanged to protect privacy.
A Rationale accompanies each Anchor and clearly explains why thewriting sample was determined to be a representative example for thatlevel of performance.
OWA Class Tracking Sheet (p. 89)
The Class Tracking Sheet provides a place to record the term results ofeach OWA Writing Task for every student in the class for each of the fourcategories, including each student’s overall score and overall level.
OWA Overall Level Guide (p. 90)
OWA Overall Level Guide helps you find the overall level thatcorresponds to the student’s overall score. The overall level is helpful if aWriting Task has been administered as a summative assessment.
Writing Self-Assessment (p. 92)
The one-page Writing Self-Assessment provides an opportunity forstudents to reflect on their writing. Students respond to the fourquestions by checking one of four answers, and they respond to an open-ended question.
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–2
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
You’ve been asked by a children’s publishing company to select any animal andwrite a tale or legend that tells how it came to be or how it got one of its specialor unique features.
Brainstorm ideas here.
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WRITING TASK 2
Knowledge and Understanding—Level 2Rationale
The student demonstrates some knowledge and understandingof a narrative text form. For example, the writing includescharacters, a setting, and a problem (… there was no more leaves,except for the one’s out of reach! Eventually the girafe’s started to get
hungry … ). The student develops the events with someeffectiveness (e.g., there was a big crash and the sky lit up);however, the resolution occurs abruptly.
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
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Student Name
Term: ____________________________ Date: _____________________________
Ontario Writing Assessment Class Tracking Sheet
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Writing Attitude Survey (pp. 94–95)
The two-page Writing Attitude Survey provides an opportunity forstudents to reflect on their attitudes toward writing. Students respond tothe five questions on the Survey by checking one of four answers, andthey respond to three open-ended questions.
Planning Guide: OWA Instructional Next Steps (pp. 108–109)
This planning guide provides you with an opportunity to use theassessment results gathered from OWA in combination with OWA NextSteps to plan instructional opportunities for the class, small groups, orindividual students.
Instructional Writing Strategies (pp. 110–130)
The writing strategies address the specific learning needs of studentsidentified through the OWA assessment. These strategies target the fourcategories of knowledge and skills.
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Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
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Planning Guide: OWA Instructional Next Steps (Cont'd)
Small Group Foci
Topics/Activity: Instructional Strategies:
❏
❏
❏
❏
Knowledge and Skills
❏ Knowledge and
Understanding
❏ Thinking
❏ Communication
❏ Application
Small Group Foci
Topics/Activity: Instructional Strategies:
❏
❏
❏
❏
Knowledge and Skills
❏ Knowledge and
Understanding
❏ Thinking
❏ Communication
❏ Application
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
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Planning Guide: OWA Instructional Next Steps
Entire Class Foci
Topics/Activity: Instructional Strategies:
❏
❏
❏
❏
Knowledge and Skills
❏ Knowledge and
Understanding
❏ Thinking
❏ Communication
❏ Application
Individual/Exceptional Student Intervention
Student Focus/Topic/Activity Strategies
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OWA Writing Tasks
When do you administer the Writing Tasks?
Administer a Writing Task at these approximate times:
• start of year (mid-September/early October)• mid-year (late January/mid-February)• end of year (late May/early June)
All OWA Rubrics, Anchors, and Rationales represent end-of-yearachievement; therefore it is not necessary to administer the Writing Tasksof a particular grade in the order that they appear. However, a school ordistrict may decide to administer tasks in a specific order to allow forcomparing results and for professional learning opportunities such asteacher moderation. Also, note that some tasks work best at particulartimes of the year, for example, the Grade 1 task about a snow day worksbest in the winter months, and the Grade 3 task about an end-of-yeartrip, or the Grade 8 task about reflecting upon the school year, work bestnear the end of the year.
Each of the Writing Tasks can be used as a diagnostic, formative, orsummative assessment, depending on how you plan to use the results.
Using OWA Results for Diagnostic Assessment:Use the results to gather information about students’ writing strengthsand needs. Use results to determine entry points for writing instruction,for example, to plan explicit instruction to promote students’understanding and control of a particular text form, genre, or format.
Using OWA Results for Formative Assessment:Use the results gathered midway through an instructional unit on aparticular text form, genre, or format to review each student’s writingprogress and tailor literacy programming accordingly.
Using OWA Results for Summative Assessment:Use the results to determine students’ writing progress at the end of aninstructional unit on a particular text form, genre, or format.
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Grade 6 OWA Start of Year Mid-Year End of Year
Text Form Report Narrative Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Examples of Genre
InformationPiece
Legend/Fable/Myth InformationPiece
Format Interview Story Letter
This chart identifies a possibleorder for administering theGrade 6 Writing Tasks.Teachers, school teams, ordistricts should choose whento administer tasks based ontheir assessment needs.
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Why is each Writing Task designated a specific text form, genre, and format?
The Ontario Language Curriculum states that “students will identify thetopic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing forms” (OntarioMinistry of Education 2006, 100). As noted in A Guide to EffectiveInstruction in Writing, Kindergarten to Grade 3, “students’ developingunderstanding of text forms, genres, and formats provides them with thetools they need to express themselves effectively and to reach their targetaudience” (Ontario Ministry of Education 2005, 1.20). A Guide to EffectiveInstruction in Writing, Grades 4–6 goes on to emphasize the importance ofstudents’ learning to recognize characteristics of texts, for example,organizational patterns in some informational texts, and how theyconvey meaning.
To assist teachers, OWA includes a variety of text forms, genres, andformats. The chart on the previous page shows the text form, genre, andformat for each OWA Writing Task at the Grade 6 level. Ensure that youexpose students throughout the year to various writing opportunities thatinclude the text forms, genres, and formats for your grade. (Refer to page22 for a planning chart covering each grade level.)
Text Forms
The OWA writing tasks are classified into six major text forms. Text formsgenerally describe the function and structure of the text. The six textforms selected for the OWA writing assessments are those most oftentaught in primary, junior, and intermediate divisions.
Text form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: InformationPiece
Format: Letter
The function and structure of the text
The style or literary category of the text
General organization andarrangement of the text
For a list of all text forms, seeA Guide to Effective LiteracyInstruction, Grades 4 to 6:Volume 1, p. 37.
All six text forms in OWA areassessed by the end of Grade3 to ensure early exposure toa variety of forms. Each textform is assessed again duringGrades 4–8. Within eachgrade, the text forms provideboth fiction and nonfictionwriting opportunities.
It is important to note thatstudents should be providedwith opportunities to write ina variety of forms in additionto the three forms addressedby OWA for a particulargrade.
OWA Text Forms Across the Grades: SK–8
Grade
Text Form SK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Opinion X X X X X X X
Recount X X X X X X
Narrative X X X X
Report X X X X
Explanation X X X
Procedure X X X
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Text forms offer a general framework that enables readers and writers tocreate meaning and communicate their ideas. As students becomefamiliar with various text forms, their ability to convey messagesimproves due to a deepened understanding of purpose and audience.The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario states:“Students need to be aware of many different text forms if they are tocompose with increasing independence for a variety of purposes acrosssubject areas” (Ontario Ministry of Education 2006, 83).
Genres
Generally, genre refers to the style or literary category of a text, and maybe informational or imaginative. The differences between text forms andgenres are not absolute, and there may be overlap between the categories.
Over the course of Senior Kindergarten to Grade 8, students may respondto the OWA Writing Tasks using various genres such as
• adventure • information piece
• autobiography • legend
• biography • memoir
• drama • realistic fiction
• fantasy • science fiction
• humour • tale
Genre is not prescribed for OWA Writing Tasks. Students will complete aWriting Task using the genre of their choice. For example, students askedto write a story may write a narrative piece in the genre of adventure,humour, mystery, or realistic fiction.
You may observe and record anecdotal notes concerning the student’sability to communicate using the chosen genre.
Formats
Format can be thought of as the general organization and arrangement oftext that accommodates the specific needs of an audience. There may besome overlap with text forms.
Over the course of the grade levels, the OWA Writing Tasks requirestudents to write in these formats:
• advertisement • letter
• announcement • list
• blog • magazine article
• essay • newspaper article
• instructions • speech
• interview • story
• journal
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A Guide to EffectiveInstruction in Writing,Kindergarten to Grade 3states that “genres can lendthemselves to a variety offormats” (Ontario Ministry ofEducation 2005, 1.20). OWAWriting Tasks provide studentswith opportunities to write inthree different formats ateach grade level.
Various aspects of textpatterns are assessed in theKnowledge and Understand-ing category outlined in eachtask-specific Rubric.
The student’s choice of genrecan affect the style, voice, andtone of the writing. Theseelements are assessed in theCommunication category.
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Overall Expectations
1. generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience;
2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylisticelements appropriate for the purpose and audience;
3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, tocorrect errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively;
4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, [as well as] areas for improvement …
Specific Expectations for Grade 6
Purpose and Audience
1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for avariety of writing forms
Developing Ideas
1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic andidentify those most appropriate for the purpose
Classifying Ideas
1.4 sort and classify ideas and information for theirwriting in a variety of ways that allow them to viewinformation from different perspectives and makeconnections between ideas
Form
2.1 write longer and more complex texts using awide range of forms
Voice
2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writingappropriate to the subject and audience
Word Choice
2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative language andinnovative expressions to enhance interest
Sentence Fluency
2.4 create complex sentences by combining phrases,clauses, and/or simple sentences
Point of View
2.5 identify their point of view and other possiblepoints of view; determine, when appropriate, if theirown view is balanced and supported by theevidence; and adjust their thinking and expression ifappropriate
Spelling Familiar Words
3.1 spell familiar words correctly
Spelling Unfamiliar Words3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety ofstrategies that involve understanding sound-symbolrelationships, word structures, word meanings, andgeneralizations about spelling
Vocabulary3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings or wordchoice using a variety of resources appropriate forthe purpose
Punctuation3.4 use punctuation appropriately to communicatetheir intended meaning in longer and morecomplex sentences, with a focus on the use of:commas to separate words in a list or after anintroductory word or phrase; quotation marks indialogue; and some uses of the colon, semi-colon,and brackets
Grammar3.5 use parts of speech correctly to communicatetheir meaning clearly, with a focus on the use of:personal subject and object pronouns (e.g., I, me)indefinite pronouns (e.g., someone, nobody);conjunctions; subordinate clauses; adverb phrases;and present, past, and future verb tenses
Proofreading3.6 proofread and correct their writing …
Metacognition4.1 identify a variety of strategies they used before,during, and after writing, explain which ones weremost helpful, and suggest further steps they can taketo improve as writers
How do the Writing Tasks and the Writing Self-Assessmentquestionnaire correspond to the expectations of The OntarioCurriculum, Grades 1–8: Language (2006)?
Each of the OWA Writing Tasks corresponds to the overall and specificexpectations shown on the chart below, as outlined in the Writing strandof the curriculum, excluding Overall Expectation 4 and SpecificExpectation 4.1. The OWA Writing Self-Assessment questionnairecorresponds to Overall Expectation 4 and Specific Expectation 4.1.
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Administering the OWA Writing Tasks1. Provide each student with a copy of the Writing Task.
If required, students may use additional sheets of paper to complete theWriting Task.
2. Describe the Writing Task to students.
Tell students that this is an independent writing activity. Show themwhere space is provided for their writing and/or drawings and/orbrainstorming notes. Discuss the suggested timelines.
Provide additional time for any student who is unable to complete thewriting task within the suggested time, as long as the writing takes placein one continuous sitting.
3. Read aloud the Writing Task verbatim for the class, group, or student.
Reread it for any students who request this.
4. Instruct students to independently brainstorm ideas fortheir writing in the space provided before they beginwriting, and to proofread and edit their writing prior tohanding it in.
Students may use brainstorming templates or graphic organizers, but onlyon their own initiative. Do not direct them to use these.
Students may independently choose to use a writing tool such as adictionary, thesaurus, or word wall.
Students may use a word processor to complete the Writing Task.
5. Provide no further support.
Assessing the OWA Writing Tasks
1. Read the student’s response.
Carefully read the student’s response to the Writing Task to get a sense ofthe quality of the writing and a general idea of level.
Assess only the written performance portion of the student’s WritingTask. Do not assess any student recording in the brainstorming section ofthe Task. However, read and consider carefully what the student writes inthe brainstorming section and use it to help you make programmingdecisions for the student. For example, if you notice that a student listsmany creative ideas in the brainstorming section but doesn’t includethese in the writing piece, you may decide to implement some directedteaching strategies to assist the student in linking the purpose ofbrainstorming to the writing piece.
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Suggested timelines for Writing Tasks
SK–Grade 3: 30 minutes
Grade 4–Grade 5: 45 minutes
Grade 6–Grade 8: 60 minutes
Note: Provide additional timefor any student who is unableto complete the Writing Taskwithin the suggested time, aslong as the writing takes placein one continuous sitting.
Steps in brief for assessingthe OWA Writing Tasks:
1. Read the student’sresponse.
2. Refer to the Rubric.
3. Read the Anchor.
4. Read the Rationale.
5. Determine the level.
6. Record the level.
7. Determine the overall leveland record it, if forsummative purposes.
8. Repeat for each student.
9. Plan next steps.
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Repeat the following Steps 2–6 for each category on the Rubric:
2. Refer to the task-specific Writing Rubric.
Choose one of the four categories on the Rubric.
• Read and consider the descriptions of the expectations listed for thatcategory.
• Read the descriptions of the four performance levels of eachassessment criterion.
• Reread the Writing Task. Compare the descriptions of theexpectations and the four levels of performance to the writing. Askyourself: Where does this writing piece most closely fit?
What if the criteria seem to overlap?
The categories of knowledge and skills work in an integrated fashion, and sometimes criteria can have an impact on other criteria across the categories. For example, when assessing text form, notice that theKnowledge and Understanding category requires you to assess thestudent’s understanding of the text form’s features and structure, and theCommunication category requires you to assess the student’s use of style,tone, and vocabulary based on the text form.
Are text form, genre, and text format to be assessed with equal weight?
When assessing a student’s knowledge and understanding in writing, youwill observe and make note of the student’s knowledge andunderstanding of the genre and text format, but you will primarily lookfor the student’s knowledge and understanding of the text form. Askyourself: Does the student’s writing demonstrate the general features,patterns, and structures of the text form?
3. Read the appropriate Anchors.
Identify the Anchor that seems to most closely reflect the level of thestudent’s writing in that category. Make comparisons to the Anchors onelevel up and one level down from it. (For example, if you determine thata piece of writing seems close to a Level 2, examine the Level 2 Anchorand also make comparisons to the Level 1 and Level 3 Anchors.)
As you gain more experience with scoring students’ writing, you will findthe scoring process straightforward. You will be able to determine theapproximate level of writing in each category, and use the Anchors andRubrics to confirm your judgments, with precision.
When assessing the level of awriting achievement category,consider all the criteria in thecategory and use yourprofessional judgment inconjunction with the OWARubric, Anchors, andRationales.
“The four categories shouldbe considered as interrelated,reflecting the wholeness andinterconnectedness oflearning.” ~ONTARIO MINISTRY OFEDUCATION, LanguageCurriculum, 17
35O
ntario
Writin
g A
ssessmen
t 6N
EL Thinking—Level 3Rationale
The student generates and supports ideas with considerableeffectiveness. The writing includes ideas that connect to theimportant person with considerable effectiveness. For example,the student provides details about the new environment thatconnects to the grandmother (e.g., … white and fluffy … PeaceLane … uncle David, he was the first person to greet me …). The
student effectively demonstrates creative thinking processes byimaginatively choosing to interview a relative who has passedaway. Critical thinking is demonstrated with considerableeffectiveness as Grandma’s perspective is developed (e.g.,Watching over you! I saw grandpa’s 75th Birthday! You grew up sowell!)
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4. Read the Rationale.
Read the Rationale that corresponds to the Anchor that most closelyreflects the level of the student’s writing in that category.
The Rationales are not comprehensive. They do not necessarily commenton every criterion in a category. The Rationales highlight the criteria thatcan best be assessed in the anchor to determine the writing level. Theyprovide guidelines to the thinking behind the scoring of particularcategories of knowledge and skills, and they include suggestions on howto perceive and evaluate differences in writing.
5. Make a professional judgment using the Writing Rubric,Anchors, and Rationales to determine a level ofperformance.
Assessing writing skills can be challenging. It is not a matter ofdetermining whether an answer is correct or incorrect. Instead, you aredetermining a level of performance for each category of knowledge andskills. “Score” the student’s work by using your professional judgment toassess the quality of the student’s writing and by rating the student’swork according to the set of predetermined criteria.
What if each criterion is not at the same level within a category?
Sometimes a student may not achieve at the same level for each criterionwithin a category. For example, a student may effectively organize ideas(Level 3) and effectively communicate to the audience (Level 3), butstruggle in the area of spelling (Level 1 or 2). Reread the Writing Task andconsider whether or not the spelling hinders the student from effectivelycommunicating overall. If you judge that, overall, the student consistentlycommunicates in an effective manner, score Communication at Level 3.(You may also wish to make a note of the student’s need for support inspelling for planning next steps.)
What are some other strategies for assessing students’ writing?
• You can assess the same category in all student Writing Tasks at onetime. For example, assess Knowledge and Understanding in allstudent Writing Tasks, then assess another category, such as Thinking,in all the Writing Tasks. As you assess the same category for allstudents, you become more familiar with its criteria andcorresponding levels, and more confident in assessing for it.
• Work on assessment with other grade team teachers or division teamteachers. This process of “teacher moderation” provides opportunitiesfor professional dialogue about assessment that informs instruction.
17Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Using the Rubric, Anchors,and Rationales togetherpromotes consistency and willhelp you develop anunderstanding of thecategories of knowledge andskills and the writingexpectations of students ateach level.
All Rubrics, Anchors, andRationales represent end-of-year achievement. This allowsyou to identify strengths andneeds based on the writingskills required to exit thegrade at the provincial level.
Refer to the Example of theOWA Scoring Process (page 20) to review anexample of how a student’swriting is scored across allfour categories.
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18 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
6. Record the student’s level of performance for thatcategory on the Class Tracking Sheet (page 89).
Continue to assess and record the results for each of the categories.
Ove
rall
Lev
el
Kn
ow
led
ge &
Un
der
stan
din
g
Th
ink
ing
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
Ap
pli
cati
on
Ove
rall
Sco
re
Student Name
Term: ____________________________ Date: _____________________________
Ontario Writing Assessment Class Tracking Sheet
1. Asia 3 3 3 4 13 3+
2. Katie 3 2 3 3 11 3
3. Evan 2 2 1 2 7 2
1 Sept. 28th
7. If using an OWA Task as a summative assessment,determine the overall level of the student’s writing, andrecord it on the Class Tracking Sheet (page 89).
Use the Overall Level Guide (p. 90) to find the overall level thatcorresponds to the student’s overall score.
It is important to note that the overall level provides only a snapshot ofan individual student’s writing achievement at one moment in time.
Students’ overall levels can be used to• identify overall patterns in a class or grade• track the progress of classes or grade levels over time, from one year
to the next• set classroom or school goals
However, an overall level will not support you in planning instruction orprovide the individual student with relevant feedback. It is critical toidentify a student’s particular strengths and needs within each categoryin order to plan next steps. For example, if a student demonstrates gapsin the category of thinking, it will be important for you to determinewhich thinking criteria (e.g., critical literacy, details to support main idea,creativity) are areas for growth. Identifying strengths and needs willsupport you in implementing effective instructional practices, and allowyou to provide valuable feedback to students.
8. Repeat these steps for the other students in the class.
Record the levels of the other students on the Class Tracking Sheet.
This will give you a comprehensive visual record of the OWA WritingTask results of every student in the class for each of the four categories.
Consider the followinggeneral criteria when scoringthe four categories:
Knowledge andUnderstanding
• Demonstrates knowledgeand understanding of thetext form, genre, andformat
• Develops topic andinformation
Thinking
• Generates ideas (connectedand supported)
• Demonstrates critical andcreative thinking processes
• Develops writing withperspective
Communication
• Organizes ideas • Communicates for different
audiences and purposes • Uses conventions and
appropriate vocabulary
Application
• Transfers knowledge andskills to the writing task
• Demonstrates an ability tomake connections amongtopic, personal experiences,and life situations
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9. Plan instructional next steps based on strengths and needs
Once you have your OWA results, you can begin to plan and adapt yourwriting instruction to address the needs identified. Use the followingsections to facilitate planning next steps:
• How OWA Can Help Your Writing Program Succeed (p. 97)• Next Steps for Teaching Writing (p. 105)
Accommodations for Special Education andESL StudentsConsider the following suggestions:
Administer and assess the OWA Writing Task at the grade level ofmodified expectations.
For example, if a Grade 5 student requires modified expectations inwriting at the Grade 2 level, administer the Grade 2 OWA Writing Taskand use its task-specific Rubric and the Grade 2 Anchors and Rationalesfor assessment.
Administer the grade-appropriate Writing Task to the student andassess it with the Anchors at the grade level of modified expectations.
For example, if a Grade 5 student requires modified expectations inwriting at the Grade 2 level, administer the Grade 5 OWA Writing Taskand assess it using the Grade 2 OWA Anchors. Although the Anchors arespecific to the Tasks, they will provide an overall comparison to identifystrengths and needs.
• Find Anchors at the grade level of modified expectations with a textform that matches the text form being assessed (for example, opinionwriting is assessed in both Grade 2 and Grade 5). If one is notavailable, choose an Anchor that seems most closely aligned to theWriting Task you are assessing (for example, if the student writes theGrade 5 narrative task, you might assess with the Grade 2 recountAnchors).
• When you assess using an Anchor from a different grade level, it isimportant to look for the overall impression of student writing atLevels 1–4.
Use alternative writing assessments if students experience difficultyresponding to the writing tasks.
Example:
• Increase your use of portfolio assessments and anecdotal observations.
• Assess the writing of ESL students in their first language, if possible.
Allow students with an IEP who, on a regular basis, require the use ofassistive technology to cope with writing tasks to use the assistivetechnology when completing the Writing Task.
19Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Note: Writing Tasks fromlower grade levels may notappeal to older students.
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22 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
OWA Across the GradesThe following chart enables school teams to map out an instructionalscope and sequence for students across the grades. This will deliverconsistency and continuity in writing instruction and assessment forstudents as they move from grade to grade.
OWA Text Forms, Genres, and Formats Across the Grades: SK–8
Grade Start of Year Mid-Year End of Year
SK
Text Form: ProcedureExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: List
Text Form: RecountExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Journal/Story
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Journal/Story
1
Text Form: ProcedureExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: List
Text Form: RecountExamples of Genre:
Realistic Fiction/Humour/Adventure
Format: Journal
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Text
Format: Letter
2
Text Form: RecountExample of Genre:
Realistic FictionFormat: Letter
Text Form: Explanation Example of Genre:
Science FictionFormat: Essay
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Advertisement
3
Text Form: NarrativeExamples of Genre:
Fantasy/Humour/Adventure
Format: Story
Text Form: ReportExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Letter
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Speech
4
Text Form: ReportExample of Genre:
Realistic FictionFormat: Essay
Text Form: RecountExample of Genre:
Realistic FictionFormat: Journal
Text Form: Explanation Example of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Magazine Article
5
Text Form: NarrativeExamples of Genre:
Adventure/Humour/DramaFormat: Story
Text Form: ReportExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Newspaper Article
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Announcement
6
Text Form: ReportExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Interview
Text Form: Narrative Examples of Genre:
Legend/Fable/MythFormat: Story
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Letter
7
Text Form: ProcedureExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Instructions
Text Form: RecountExamples of Genre:
Memoir/Short BiographyFormat: Blog
Text Form: Opinion Writing(Persuasive/Exposition)
Example of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Newspaper Article
8
Text Form: NarrativeExamples of Genre:
Adventure/Humour/Drama/Realistic Fiction
Format: Story
Text Form: ExplanationExample of Genre:
Information PieceFormat: Magazine Article
Text Form: Recount Example of Genre: MemoirFormat: Journal/Diary
This chart identifies a possibleorder for administering theOWA Writing Tasks. Teachers,school teams, or districtsshould choose when toadminister tasks based ontheir assessment needs.
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Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
More paper is available.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Remember to check your work, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
Write your report here.
23Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Writing Task 1—Start of Year
Contents
OWA Writing Rubric 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
OWA Writing Task 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Writing Task 1 Anchors and Rationales• Knowledge and Understanding: Levels 1–4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29• Thinking: Levels 1–4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33• Communication: Levels 1–4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37• Application: Levels 1–4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Text form: Report
Examples of Genre: Information Piece
Format: Interview
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
You have interviewed someone that is very important in your life.
Write a report for a television interview that includes
• the questions you asked
• the answers given by the important person youinterviewed
Brainstorm ideas here.
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24 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
LEV
EL
1LE
VEL
2LE
VEL
3LE
VEL
4
OW
A G
rad
e 6
Wri
tin
g R
ub
ric
1: In
terv
iew
Rep
ort
LEV
EL
1LE
VEL
2LE
VEL
3LE
VEL
4
Kn
ow
led
ge a
nd
Un
ders
tan
din
g
Thin
kin
g
Cate
go
ries
an
d C
rite
ria
Dem
onst
rate
s kn
owle
dge
an
du
nd
erst
and
ing
of t
he
text
for
m,
gen
re,
and
for
mat
A r
epor
t in
clu
des
•in
form
atio
n a
bou
t th
e im
por
tan
tp
erso
n:
wh
o, w
hat
, w
her
e, w
hen
,an
d w
hy
Inte
rvie
w i
ncl
ud
es
•q
ues
tion
s fr
om t
he
inte
rvie
wer
•an
swer
s fr
om t
he
inte
rvie
wee
•D
emon
stra
tes
lim
ited
know
led
ge a
nd
un
der
stan
din
g of
th
ete
xt f
orm
, ge
nre
, an
dfo
rmat
(e.
g.,
dev
elop
sto
pic
an
d i
ncl
ud
esin
form
atio
n r
elev
ant
toth
e su
bjec
t of
th
ere
por
t, w
ith
lim
ited
effe
ctiv
enes
s)
•D
emon
stra
tes
som
ekn
owle
dge
an
du
nd
erst
and
ing
of t
he
text
for
m,
gen
re,
and
form
at (
e.g.
, d
evel
ops
top
ic a
nd
in
clu
des
info
rmat
ion
rel
evan
t to
the
subj
ect
of t
he
rep
ort,
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s)
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emon
stra
tes
con
sid
erab
le k
now
led
gean
d u
nd
erst
and
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nre
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e.g.
,d
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incl
ud
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nfo
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ion
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th
e su
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por
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ith
con
sid
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leef
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iven
ess)
•D
emon
stra
tes
thor
ough
know
led
ge a
nd
un
der
stan
din
g of
th
ete
xt f
orm
, ge
nre
, an
dfo
rmat
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g.,
dev
elop
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pic
an
d i
ncl
ud
esin
form
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n r
elev
ant
toth
e su
bjec
t of
th
ere
por
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ith
a h
igh
deg
ree
of e
ffec
tive
nes
s)
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erat
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s th
at a
re c
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is a
ble
to s
up
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etai
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., su
pp
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ith
rele
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form
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onst
rate
s cr
itic
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eth
inki
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pro
cess
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o en
han
ce w
riti
ng
(e.g
., u
nd
erst
and
s/w
rite
s fr
om a
per
spec
tive
, w
rite
s w
ith
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agin
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n)
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ener
ates
an
d s
up
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tsid
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h l
imit
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e.g.
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e.g.
, d
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tes
crit
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and
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ativ
e th
inki
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pro
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es (
e.g.
, d
evel
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inte
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w t
hat
sh
ows
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igh
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fect
iven
ess
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25Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
LEV
EL
1LE
VEL
2LE
VEL
3LE
VEL
4C
om
mu
nic
ati
on
Cate
go
ries
an
d C
rite
ria
Exp
ress
es a
nd
org
aniz
es i
dea
s in
rep
ort
form
(e.
g.,
logi
cal
orga
niz
atio
n)
Com
mu
nic
ates
for
au
die
nce
(vi
ewer
of
the
inte
rvie
w)
and
pu
rpos
e (t
o en
tert
ain
and
/or
info
rm b
y p
rovi
din
gin
form
atio
n a
bou
t an
im
por
tan
tp
erso
n)
(e.g
., st
yle,
voi
ce,
ton
e)
Use
s co
nve
nti
ons
(e.g
., gr
amm
ar,
spel
lin
g, p
un
ctu
atio
n)
and
ap
pro
pri
ate
voca
bula
ry (
e.g.
, d
escr
ipti
ve l
angu
age,
lin
kin
g w
ord
s, a
ctio
n v
erbs
)
•Ex
pre
sses
an
d o
rgan
izes
idea
s in
rep
ort
form
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess
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omm
un
icat
es f
orau
die
nce
an
d p
urp
ose
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess
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ses
con
ven
tion
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cabu
lary
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess
•Ex
pre
sses
an
d o
rgan
izes
idea
s in
rep
ort
form
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•C
omm
un
icat
es f
orau
die
nce
an
d p
urp
ose
wit
h s
ome
effe
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enes
s
•U
ses
con
ven
tion
s an
dvo
cabu
lary
wit
h s
ome
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ctiv
enes
s
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pre
sses
an
d o
rgan
izes
idea
s in
rep
ort
form
wit
h c
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able
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•C
omm
un
icat
es f
orau
die
nce
an
d p
urp
ose
wit
h c
onsi
der
able
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ctiv
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s
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ses
con
ven
tion
s an
dvo
cabu
lary
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hco
nsi
der
able
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ctiv
enes
s
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pre
sses
an
d o
rgan
izes
idea
s in
rep
ort
form
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•C
omm
un
icat
es f
orau
die
nce
an
d p
urp
ose
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•U
ses
con
ven
tion
s an
dvo
cabu
lary
wit
h a
hig
hd
egre
e of
eff
ecti
ven
ess
Tran
sfer
s kn
owle
dge
an
d s
kill
s (e
.g.,
con
cep
t of
tel
evis
ion
in
terv
iew
tech
niq
ues
) to
th
e w
riti
ng
task
Dem
onst
rate
s an
abi
lity
to
mak
eco
nn
ecti
ons
amon
g to
pic
(ba
sed
on
th
ein
terv
iew
ee),
per
son
al e
xper
ien
ces,
an
dli
fe s
itu
atio
ns
to e
nh
ance
wri
tin
g (e
.g.,
con
nec
tin
g im
por
tan
t p
erso
n t
op
erso
nal
kn
owle
dge
an
d/o
r w
orld
exp
erie
nce
s)
•Tr
ansf
ers
know
led
gean
d s
kill
s to
th
e w
riti
ng
task
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess
•M
akes
con
nec
tion
sam
ong
top
ic,
per
son
alex
per
ien
ces,
an
d l
ife
situ
atio
ns
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess
•Tr
ansf
ers
know
led
gean
d s
kill
s to
th
e w
riti
ng
task
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•M
akes
con
nec
tion
sam
ong
top
ic,
per
son
alex
per
ien
ces,
an
d l
ife
situ
atio
ns
wit
h s
ome
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ctiv
enes
s
•Tr
ansf
ers
know
led
gean
d s
kill
s to
th
e w
riti
ng
task
wit
h c
onsi
der
able
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•M
akes
con
nec
tion
sam
ong
top
ic,
per
son
alex
per
ien
ces,
an
d l
ife
situ
atio
ns
wit
hco
nsi
der
able
effe
ctiv
enes
s
•Tr
ansf
ers
know
led
gean
d s
kill
s to
th
e w
riti
ng
task
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
eof
eff
ecti
ven
ess
•M
akes
con
nec
tion
sam
ong
top
ic,
per
son
alex
per
ien
ces,
an
d l
ife
situ
atio
ns
wit
h a
hig
hd
egre
e of
eff
ecti
ven
ess
Ap
pli
cati
on
LEV
EL
1LE
VEL
2LE
VEL
3LE
VEL
4
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 25
Sample
r
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
You have interviewed someone that is very important in your life.
Write a report for a television interview that includes
• the questions you asked
• the answers given by the important person youinterviewed
Brainstorm ideas here.
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 26
Sample
r
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Remember to check your work, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
Write your report here.
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 27
Sample
r
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
More paper is available.
Ontario Writing Assessment Writing Task 6–1
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________________
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 28
Sample
r
29Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Kn
ow
led
ge
and
Un
der
stan
din
g—
Leve
l 1R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
dem
onst
rate
s li
mit
ed k
now
led
ge a
nd
un
der
stan
din
g of
th
e re
por
t fo
rm.
Th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
esin
form
atio
n a
bou
t w
ho,
wh
at,
wh
ere,
wh
en,
and
wh
y w
ith
lim
ited
eff
ecti
ven
ess.
For
exa
mp
le,
wh
ile
the
wri
tin
g is
on
top
ic,
the
inte
rvie
w i
ncl
ud
es l
imit
ed i
nfo
rmat
ion
abo
ut
the
“wh
o” (
the
imp
orta
nt
per
son
) (e
.g.,
Do
you
have
a g
irl
frie
nd.
Yes
I ha
ve a
gir
l fr
iend
. O
k th
anks
…).
Th
e re
por
t d
oes
not
pro
vid
ein
form
atio
n a
bou
t w
hy
this
per
son
is
bein
g in
terv
iew
ed.
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 29
Sample
r
30 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Kn
ow
led
ge
and
Un
der
stan
din
g—
Leve
l 2R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
dem
onst
rate
s so
me
know
led
ge a
nd
un
der
stan
din
gof
th
e re
por
t fo
rm.
Th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
es i
nfo
rmat
ion
abo
ut
wh
o, w
hat
, w
her
e, w
hen
, an
d w
hy
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s.
For
exam
ple
, th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
es s
ome
info
rmat
ion
abo
ut
the
“wh
o” (
the
imp
orta
nt
per
son
) (e
.g.,
Wel
l I
got
into
act
ing
by j
ust
wan
ting
to
act
…).
Th
e in
terv
iew
in
clu
des
qu
esti
ons
and
answ
ers
from
bot
h t
he
inte
rvie
wer
an
d t
he
inte
rvie
wee
wit
hso
me
effe
ctiv
enes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
, th
e q
ues
tion
s d
o n
ot t
arge
tth
e “w
hy”
(w
hy
the
per
son
is
bein
g in
terv
iew
ed)
oth
er t
han
esta
blis
hin
g th
at t
he
inte
rvie
wee
is
an a
ctor
.
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 30
Sample
r
31Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Kn
ow
led
ge
and
Un
der
stan
din
g—
Leve
l 3R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
dem
onst
rate
s co
nsi
der
able
kn
owle
dge
an
du
nd
erst
and
ing
of t
he
rep
ort
form
. T
he
wri
tin
g in
clu
des
info
rmat
ion
abo
ut
wh
o, w
hat
, w
her
e, w
hen
, an
d w
hy
wit
hco
nsi
der
able
eff
ecti
ven
ess.
For
exa
mp
le,
the
wri
tin
g in
clu
des
con
sid
erab
le i
nfo
rmat
ion
abo
ut
the
“wh
o” (
e.g.
, sh
e w
ent
back
to s
choo
l, is
a s
tay-
at-h
ome
mom
an
d a
tuto
r, an
d fe
els
her
fam
ilysu
pp
orts
her
th
rou
gh t
ough
tim
es).
Th
e in
terv
iew
in
clu
des
qu
esti
ons
and
an
swer
s th
at e
ffec
tive
ly p
rovi
de
info
rmat
ion
abou
t th
e im
por
tan
t p
erso
n (
e.g.
, W
ho a
re y
our
grea
test
supp
orte
rs …
? …
My
husb
and,
my
dog
(ha,
ha)
, an
d m
y 3
boys
.)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 31
Sample
r
32 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Kn
ow
led
ge
and
Un
der
stan
din
g—
Leve
l 4R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
dem
onst
rate
s th
orou
gh k
now
led
ge a
nd
un
der
stan
din
g of
th
e re
por
t fo
rm.
Th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
esin
form
atio
n a
bou
t w
ho,
wh
at,
wh
ere,
wh
en,
and
wh
y w
ith
ah
igh
deg
ree
of e
ffec
tive
nes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
, th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
esde
taile
d in
form
atio
n a
bout
th
e “w
ho”
(e.
g., s
he
is a
fem
ale
hoc
key
play
er b
reak
ing
thro
ugh
th
e ge
nde
r ba
rrie
r an
d le
ft h
er
hom
etow
n t
o pl
ay h
ocke
y). T
he
inte
rvie
w in
clud
es q
uest
ion
s an
dan
swer
s th
at p
rovi
de t
hor
ough
info
rmat
ion
abo
ut t
he
impo
rtan
tpe
rson
(e.
g., P
leas
e te
ll ho
w d
oes
it f
eel t
o be
the
onl
y fe
mal
e …
I f
eel I
am a
goo
d ro
le m
odel
for
gir
l hoc
key
play
ers
ever
ywhe
re).
Add
itio
nal
info
rmat
ion
em
phas
izes
th
e te
levi
sion
inte
rvie
w f
orm
at (
e.g.
,(L
augh
), (B
ig C
lap)
, (Sm
ile +
look
into
cam
era)
).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:44 AM Page 32
Sample
r
33Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Thin
kin
g—
Leve
l 1R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
gen
erat
es a
nd
su
pp
orts
id
eas
wit
h l
imit
edef
fect
iven
ess.
Th
e w
riti
ng
incl
ud
es i
dea
s ab
out
the
imp
orta
nt
per
son
wit
h l
imit
ed e
ffec
tive
nes
s; f
or e
xam
ple
, id
eas
are
sup
por
ted
wit
h s
imp
le d
etai
ls (
Why
is
it a
cat
? B
ecau
se t
hey
are
so c
ute!
) C
riti
cal
and
cre
ativ
e th
inki
ng
is d
emon
stra
ted
wit
hli
mit
ed e
ffec
tive
nes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
, th
e st
ud
ent
pro
vid
es a
mot
her
’s p
ersp
ecti
ve o
f li
kin
g ve
geta
bles
(…
the
y ar
e he
alth
y).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 33
Sample
r
34 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Thin
kin
g—
Leve
l 2R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
gen
erat
es a
nd
su
pp
orts
id
eas
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s. T
he
wri
tin
g in
clu
des
id
eas
that
con
nec
t to
th
eim
por
tan
t p
erso
n w
ith
som
e ef
fect
iven
ess.
For
exa
mp
le,
the
stu
den
t p
rovi
des
det
ails
abo
ut
the
imm
edia
te f
amil
y of
his
fath
er (
Whe
re d
id y
ou l
ive
whe
n yo
u ha
d yo
ur s
econ
d so
n …
).
Cri
tica
l th
inki
ng
is d
emon
stra
ted
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s; f
orex
amp
le,
the
wri
tin
g co
mp
ares
liv
ing
in T
oron
to t
o O
wen
Sou
nd
(fa
ther
des
crib
es h
ow h
ouse
s ar
e cl
ose
toge
ther
an
d h
owli
ttle
tim
e it
tak
es t
o cu
t th
e la
wn
in
an
urb
an s
etti
ng,
as
opp
osed
to
wh
ere
he
curr
entl
y li
ves)
.
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 34
Sample
r
35Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Thin
kin
g—
Leve
l 3R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
gen
erat
es a
nd
su
pp
orts
id
eas
wit
h c
onsi
der
able
effe
ctiv
enes
s. T
he
wri
tin
g in
clu
des
id
eas
that
con
nec
t to
th
eim
por
tan
t p
erso
n w
ith
con
sid
erab
le e
ffec
tive
nes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
,th
e st
ud
ent
pro
vid
es d
etai
ls a
bou
t th
e n
ew e
nvi
ron
men
t th
atco
nn
ect
to t
he
gran
dm
oth
er (
e.g.
, …
whi
te a
nd f
luff
y …
Pea
ceLa
ne …
unc
le D
avid
, he
was
the
fir
st p
erso
n to
gre
et m
e …
). T
he
stu
den
t ef
fect
ivel
y d
emon
stra
tes
crea
tive
th
inki
ng
pro
cess
es b
yim
agin
ativ
ely
choo
sin
g to
in
terv
iew
a r
elat
ive
wh
o h
as p
asse
daw
ay.
Cri
tica
l th
inki
ng
is d
emon
stra
ted
wit
h c
onsi
der
able
effe
ctiv
enes
s as
Gra
nd
ma’
s p
ersp
ecti
ve i
s d
evel
oped
(e.
g.,
Wat
chin
g ov
er y
ou!
I sa
w g
rand
pa’s
75t
h B
irth
day!
You
gre
w u
p so
wel
l!)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 35
Sample
r
36 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Thin
kin
g—
Leve
l 4R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
gen
erat
es a
nd
su
pp
orts
id
eas
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
effe
ctiv
enes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
, th
e st
ud
ent
pro
vid
es d
etai
ls a
bou
tth
e u
ncl
e’s
care
er (
e.g.
,…
rea
lly i
nter
este
d in
MR
I’s …
diag
nose
an
illne
ss e
arly
on)
. T
he
stu
den
t d
emon
stra
tes
crea
tive
th
inki
ng
pro
cess
es w
ith
a h
igh
deg
ree
of e
ffec
tive
nes
s by
pro
vid
ing
imag
inat
ive
det
ails
(e.
g.,
Bei
ng a
ble
to d
isco
ver
wha
t's
insi
de t
he
body
thr
ough
the
se m
achi
nes
can
help
sic
k pe
ople
get
bet
ter)
.C
riti
cal
thin
kin
g is
dem
onst
rate
d w
ith
a h
igh
deg
ree
ofef
fect
iven
ess.
Th
e w
riti
ng
dev
elop
s th
e u
ncl
e’s
per
spec
tive
by
pro
vid
ing
his
per
son
al f
eeli
ngs
abo
ut
his
mov
e to
Mon
trea
l(e
.g.,
I am
exc
ited
, ne
rvou
s an
d ve
ry h
appy
. …
hop
eful
ly m
ake
adi
ffer
ence
in
the
heal
th s
yste
m).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 36
Sample
r
37Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
—Le
vel 1
Rat
ion
ale
Th
e st
ud
ent
exp
ress
es a
nd
org
aniz
es i
dea
s w
ith
lim
ited
effe
ctiv
enes
s. S
ente
nce
str
uct
ure
an
d v
ocab
ula
ry a
re s
imp
le.
Th
ere
are
erro
rs i
n s
pel
lin
g (e
.g.,
allo
t, g
ardi
n) a
nd
gra
mm
atic
aler
rors
th
rou
ghou
t th
e p
iece
(e.
g.,
pu
nct
uat
ion
, ca
pit
aliz
atio
n).
Th
e st
ud
ent
com
mu
nic
ates
to
ente
rtai
n o
r in
form
by
pro
vid
ing
info
rmat
ion
abo
ut
an i
mp
orta
nt
per
son
wit
h l
imit
ed u
se o
fst
yle,
voi
ce,
and
wor
d c
hoi
ce (
e.g.
, W
hat
is y
our
favo
rite
ani
mal
?it
is
a ra
bbit
.)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 37
Sample
r
38 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
—Le
vel 2
Rat
ion
ale
Th
e st
ud
ent
exp
ress
es a
nd
org
aniz
es i
dea
s w
ith
som
eef
fect
iven
ess.
Th
e st
ud
ent
use
s co
nve
nti
ons
and
voc
abu
lary
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s (e
.g.,
I’d
like
to w
ith
som
e qu
esti
ons
…)
Th
e st
ud
ent
com
mu
nic
ates
to
ente
rtai
n o
r in
form
by
pro
vid
ing
info
rmat
ion
abo
ut
an i
mp
orta
nt
per
son
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
e u
seof
sty
le,
voic
e, a
nd
wor
d c
hoi
ce (
e.g.
,… I
hav
e ac
com
plis
hed
thin
gs …
tot
ally
wor
th i
t).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 38
Sample
r
39Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
—Le
vel 3
Rat
ion
ale
Th
e st
ud
ent
exp
ress
es a
nd
org
aniz
es i
dea
s cl
earl
y an
d l
ogic
ally
in t
his
rep
ort.
Con
ven
tion
s an
d g
ram
mar
are
use
d w
ith
con
sid
erab
le e
ffec
tive
nes
s. T
he
sen
ten
ce s
tru
ctu
re i
s va
ried
wit
hap
pro
pri
ate
use
of
pu
nct
uat
ion
. T
he
stu
den
t co
mm
un
icat
es t
oen
tert
ain
or
info
rm b
y p
rovi
din
g in
form
atio
n a
bou
t an
imp
orta
nt
per
son
th
rou
gh t
he
effe
ctiv
e u
se o
f st
yle,
voi
ce,
and
wor
d c
hoi
ce.
For
exam
ple
, th
e st
ud
ent
com
mu
nic
ates
in
ap
osit
ive
voic
e ab
out
her
cou
sin
(It
’s m
y co
usin
Jen
nife
r! …
Oh,
that
’s g
ood!
… W
ow,
I gu
ess
your
who
le f
amily
are
rea
lly i
nto
spor
ts.)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 39
Sample
r
40 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
—Le
vel 4
Rat
ion
ale
Th
e st
ud
ent
exp
ress
es a
nd
org
aniz
es i
dea
s w
ith
a h
igh
deg
ree
ofef
fect
iven
ess.
Th
e st
ud
ent
use
s co
nve
nti
ons
and
voc
abu
lary
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
eff
ecti
ven
ess
(e.g
., C
omin
g up
now
on
our
inte
rvie
w s
egm
ent
… t
he l
ives
tock
exp
ert
…).
Th
e st
ud
ent
com
mu
nic
ates
to
ente
rtai
n b
y p
rovi
din
g in
form
atio
n a
bou
t an
imp
orta
nt
per
son
wit
h a
hig
hly
eff
ecti
ve u
se o
f st
yle,
voi
ce,
and
wor
d c
hoi
ce.
For
exam
ple
, th
e st
ud
ent
com
mu
nic
ates
in
avo
ice
of e
xcit
emen
t an
d s
ince
re r
esp
ect
for
the
imp
orta
nt
per
son
(So
, si
nce
you’
r a
farm
ing
insp
irat
ion
to u
s al
l, I
supp
ose
you
wou
ldn’
t m
ind
answ
erin
g so
me
F.A
.Q’s
whi
le y
ou’r
her
e?)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 40
Sample
r
41Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Ap
plic
atio
n—
Leve
l 1R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
tran
sfer
s kn
owle
dge
of
the
con
cep
t of
tel
evis
ion
inte
rvie
w t
ech
niq
ues
wit
h l
imit
ed e
ffec
tive
nes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
,th
e w
riti
ng
dem
onst
rate
s a
lack
of
un
der
stan
din
g of
a t
alk
show
en
viro
nm
ent
by p
rese
nti
ng
the
inte
rvie
w a
s a
basi
c li
st o
fsi
mp
le q
ues
tion
s an
d a
nsw
ers.
Th
e st
ud
ent
mak
es l
imit
ed
con
nec
tion
s am
ong
the
top
ic (
base
d o
n t
he
inte
rvie
wee
),p
erso
nal
exp
erie
nce
s, a
nd
lif
e si
tuat
ion
s (e
.g.,
the
stu
den
tm
akes
sim
ple
ref
eren
ces
to t
he
Toro
nto
Map
le L
eafs
an
d m
eat
love
r’s
piz
za).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 41
Sample
r
42 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Ap
plic
atio
n—
Leve
l 2R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
tran
sfer
s kn
owle
dge
of
the
con
cep
t of
tel
evis
ion
inte
rvie
w t
ech
niq
ues
wit
h s
ome
effe
ctiv
enes
s. F
or e
xam
ple
, th
ein
trod
uct
ion
th
at t
he
stu
den
t w
rite
s is
sim
ilar
to
wh
at m
igh
t be
on a
tal
k sh
ow (
e.g.
, “H
ello
thi
s is
the
Bra
ndie
Sho
w,
Wel
com
ebr
ad.”
) T
he
stu
den
t m
akes
con
nec
tion
s am
ong
the
top
ic (
base
d
on t
he
inte
rvie
wee
), p
erso
nal
exp
erie
nce
s, a
nd
lif
e si
tuat
ion
sw
ith
som
e ef
fect
iven
ess.
For
exa
mp
le,
the
stu
den
t co
nn
ects
to
the
wri
tin
g ta
sk a
n u
nd
erst
and
ing
that
wh
en a
bu
sin
ess
ista
ken
ove
r by
new
man
agem
ent,
im
pro
vem
ents
are
oft
en m
ade
(“W
hat
have
you
don
e to
im
prov
e th
e ca
mp”
).
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 42
Sample
r
43Ontario Writing Assessment 6NEL
Ap
plic
atio
n—
Leve
l 3R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
tran
sfer
s kn
owle
dge
of
the
con
cep
t of
tel
evis
ion
inte
rvie
w t
ech
niq
ues
wit
h c
onsi
der
able
eff
ecti
ven
ess.
Th
est
ud
ent
has
th
e in
terv
iew
er b
egin
an
d e
nd
th
e in
terv
iew
in
ast
yle
sim
ilar
to
wh
at m
igh
t h
app
en i
n a
tel
evis
ion
in
terv
iew
,an
d t
he
inte
rvie
wer
sp
eaks
an
d a
cts
as a
tal
k sh
ow h
ost
wou
ld(e
.g.,
Tha
t’s o
k, e
very
one
I ta
lk t
o is
ner
vous
e!)
Th
e st
ud
ent
mak
es
con
nec
tion
s am
ong
the
top
ic (
base
d o
n t
he
inte
rvie
wee
),p
erso
nal
exp
erie
nce
s, a
nd
lif
e si
tuat
ion
s w
ith
con
sid
erab
leef
fect
iven
ess.
For
exa
mp
le,
the
stu
den
t in
clu
des
a r
efer
ence
to
per
son
al e
xper
ien
ce w
ith
th
e G
rad
e 4
curr
icu
lum
(T
hat
was
my
favo
urit
e gr
ade.
You
get
to
lear
n ab
out
med
ival
tim
es.)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 43
Sample
r
44 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
WR
ITIN
GTA
SK
1
Ap
plic
atio
n—
Leve
l 4R
atio
nal
e
Th
e st
ud
ent
tran
sfer
s kn
owle
dge
of
the
con
cep
t of
tel
evis
ion
inte
rvie
w t
ech
niq
ues
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
eff
ecti
ven
ess.
For
exam
ple
, th
e sp
orts
in
terv
iew
er b
egin
s an
d e
nd
s th
e in
terv
iew
as i
f re
por
tin
g on
loc
atio
n.
Th
e in
terv
iew
er a
lso
mak
es a
sh
ort
resp
onse
to
each
an
swer
fro
m t
he
inte
rvie
wee
bef
ore
aski
ng
anot
her
qu
esti
on,
emu
lati
ng
“sm
all
talk
.” T
he
wri
tin
g m
akes
con
nec
tion
s am
ong
the
top
ic,
per
son
al e
xper
ien
ces,
an
d l
ife
situ
atio
ns
wit
h a
hig
h d
egre
e of
eff
ecti
ven
ess
by i
ncl
ud
ing
real
isti
c q
ues
tion
s an
d a
nsw
ers
abou
t an
NH
L p
laye
r, S
teve
Yze
rman
(e.
g.,
I ha
ve b
een
play
ing
wit
h D
etro
it f
or o
ver
15 N
HL
seas
ons
and
have
won
3 S
tanl
ey C
ups,
the
Con
n Sm
ythe
tro
phy,
alon
g w
ith
othe
r aw
ards
.)
02-Grade6-WritingTasks.qxd 4/21/08 11:45 AM Page 44
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r
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment 6
89
Ove
rall
Lev
el
Kn
ow
led
ge &
Un
der
stan
din
g
Th
ink
ing
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
Ap
pli
cati
on
Ove
rall
Sco
re
Student Name
Term: ____________________________ Date: _____________________________
Ontario Writing Assessment Class Tracking Sheet
03-Grade6-WritingAssess.qxd 4/21/08 11:42 AM Page 89
Sample
r
Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.
Ontario Writing Assessment 6
90
0–1 NE1
2 1–
3–4 1
5 1+
6 2-
7–8 2
9 2+
10 3–
11–12 3
13 3+
14 4-–
15 4
16 4+
To calculate an overall score for To calculate an overall level for each student add the scores for each student match the overall score each category. to the appropriate level in this
calculation guide.
Overall Score Overall Level
OWA Overall Level Guide
It is important to note that the overall level provides only a snapshot of an individual student’s writingachievement at one moment in time.
Students’ overall levels can be used to• identify overall patterns in a class or grade• track the progress of classes or grade levels over time, from one year to the next• set classroom or school goals
However, an overall level will not support you in planning instruction or provide the individual student withrelevant feedback. It is critical to identify a student’s particular strengths and needs within each category inorder to plan next steps.
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r
110 Ontario Writing Assessment 6 NEL
Instructional Writing StrategiesThese key writing strategies target writing skills related to the categoriesof the Ontario Achievement Chart for language (Grades 1–8). This chartlists the strategies in alphabetical order and indicates which categories ofknowledge and skills are targeted by that particular strategy. Details of thestrategies are on the following pages.
Notice that the name of each writing strategy has letters beside it; theseletters refer to the categories of knowledge and skills that are targeted bythat particular strategy:
K&U—knowledge and understanding T—thinking C—communication A—application
Ap
pli
cati
on
Kn
ow
led
ge a
nd
Un
der
stan
din
g
Th
ink
ing
Co
mm
un
icat
ion
Writing Strategy
Anticipation Guide to Writing X X
Brainstorming X X
Checking Conventions X
Collective Book Writing X X X X
Descriptive Writing X X X X
Exploring Sentence Structure X
Free Write X X
Graphic Organizers X X X
Journal Writing X X X X
Literary Letters X X X
Mirror an Author X X X
Paragraph Rebuilding X X X
R.A.F.T.S.: Role, Audience, Format, Topic, X X XStrong Verb
Ranking Text Samples X
R.I.O. Questioning X X X X
Similarities and Differences X X
Taking Jot Notes X X
Text Dissection X X X
Text Rebuilding X X
The 5 Ws and 1 H X X X
Whose Point of View? X X
Word Lists X X
Word Wall X
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