By: Kelly Cooper and

Dr.Mary Ann Karriker

The new writing instruction System encourages instruction to focus on the writing process, not just the preparation for a traditional single-day assessment. It is based on writing across the curriculum in each content area and involves all educators.

To use assessment results to inform instruction throughout the year.

To encourage student writing in all content areas throughout the year.

To encourage all teachers to focus on the writing process.

To assess writing throughout the year, rather than a single-day traditional assessment.

Why Are We Doing This? To be competitive in 21st Century academic

and/or occupational environments, a student must be able to communicate effectively through writing.

Every student can learn to write effectively Principles of writing are known and can

therefore guide instruction regarding how to write effectively

The SBE must promote instructional practices that will produce students who can write effectively.

The constructive drafting-and-revising writing process is an essential instructional practice.

Writing instruction must be integrated into the content-based courses of instruction and be on-going throughout the school year.

All educators in a school building should be involved in crafting and implementing the building’s plan for a coherent, integrated approach to writing instruction.

Assignments and tasks should…. Be of instructional value. Be meaningful and interesting to the students. Be locally evaluated using the state rubric. Produce immediate feedback that can be used

to adjust instructional goals and delivery.

The NCDPI recommends the following schedule for completion of the on-demand tasks and the content-specific assignments.

On-Demand Task 1 September/October 2010

Content Specific Assignment 1

November/December 2010

Content-Specific Assignment 2

January/February 2011

On-Demand Task 2 March/April 2011

Iredell Statesville Schools Timeline

On-Demand Task 1 09/30-10/15 Submit by: 11/05

Content Specific Assignment 1

11/01/11/23 Submit by: 01/22

Content-Specific Assignment 2

01/18-/2/18 Submit by: 04/08

On-Demand Task 2 03/14-04/14 Submit by: 06/01

All students at grade 4 and 7 All students repeating grade 4 or 7 All NCEXTEND 2 Students at grades 4 and 7 All limited English proficient (LEP) students

who meet the eligibility criteria specified in GCS-C021 (16 NCAC 6G.0312).

Students with disabilities should be given every opportunity to be engaged in and participate in the Writing Instruction System.

3,5,6, 8 should be assessed concurrently with the state assessment.

Testing coordinators will be given the user names and passwords for

students and adults. will work with the school principal to schedule

the writing test in each school and provide the testing dept. with the date.

will work with the school principal to develop schedule within the school to ensure all students are assessed.

The principal will assign a person to coordinate scoring and ensure scores are entered by dates provided by ISS.

The choice of the content specific prompt is a school level decision based upon gaps in each individual school.

One prompt for each semester should be chosen from “Write to Learn” – Middle School

Elementary will choose a prompt from those developed during curriculum review week.

These prompts should apply to the current curriculum from the course for which it is chosen.

The subject area chosen for the content prompt is a school based decision.

On-Demand Prompt NCDPI will provide on-demand tasks (These

are found in the writing moodle. Students will complete two on-demand tasks

during the school year. On-demand tasks should be completed in the

classroom or the computer lab using technology tools

On demand will be stored on-line in the Moodle.

If using word processing tools, there are no restrictions on help features such as spell check, grammar check, and online thesaurus.

Reporting Writing Scores Results of the Writing Instruction

System will not be used for any level of accountability, including ABCs and AYP.

Scores will be assigned to students using only the NCDPI provided Content, Features and Conventions rubrics.

Scores will be used at the school level to address student and school wide gaps.

If…………. Then…………

Reading Scores - 90% - above

Focus on Individual student writing plans (student level PDSA)

Reading Scores - 80% - 90%

Focus on class gaps to create a writing plan for use across curriculum areas.

Reading Scores -70% - 80%

Focus on grade level gaps to create a writing plan for use across curriculum areas.

Reading scores below 70%

Focus on school wide gaps. Use non-fictional writing plan to address writing and reading gaps.