The TCAP Writing Assessment Preparing Students for Common Core
Writing and PARCC
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Session objectives The past: 1.Analyze results from the 2013
TCAP Writing Assessment The present: 2.Know the format of the 2014
TCAP Writing Assessment The future: 3.Learn from one districts
approach to the transition to Common Core writing 4.Understand the
landscape of resources available to help educators and students
prepare for the TCAP WA and PARCC
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THE PAST
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Data from previous TCAP WA
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Nationwide results from NAEP writing 2011 Source: The Nations
Report Card:
http://nationsreportcard.gov/writing_2011/summary.asp
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Assessment evolution: 2012 TCAP WA 8 th grade prompt There are
many reasons for people to celebrate. People celebrate some events
every year, while other celebrations take place for special
occasions. Before you begin writing, think about your favorite
celebration and why you enjoy it most. Now write an essay that
tells about your favorite celebration. Explain why this is your
favorite celebration. Support your reasons with specific examples
and details.
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Assessment evolution: 2013 TCAP WA 8 th grade prompt Settling
New Lands Write an expository essay comparing and contrasting how
reasons for colonization have changed from settling America to
attempting to settle space. Analyze how the texts provide
conflicting information about why settling new lands is important.
Draw evidence from the passages to support your analysis. Develop
your topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, concrete details, or
other information and examples. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English, capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling in your response.
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Introduction to Tennessees trait-based rubric 2012-132013-14
Support/ElaborationDevelopment Focus/Organization
Language/StyleLanguage Conventions
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2013 TCAP WA statewide results With a partner, scan the
Statewide Results and Instructional Implications for Common Core
Writing memo (data appendix on last page). Note there are
teacher-facing grade-level versions behind the overall memo. Then
discuss the following questions with your table: 1)How would you
explain the reasons for students struggling in certain traits? 2)In
what ways do the results reinforce what youve seen with your
students? In what ways do your students differ?
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THE PRESENT
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Assessment transition to PARCC NAEP PARCC NAEP
2011-20122012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 TCAP Achievement and EOC
Assessments Continue to remove SPIs that are not reflected in
Common Core State Standards from the TCAP mathematics and ELA
assessments in 2013-14. Low Stakes Common Core-aligned Assessments
Expand the Constructed Response Assessment (CRA) in math for all
grades 1-8 and HS. Expand the Writing Assessment to all grades 3-11
to test online.
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2013-14 assessment transition: ELA Streamline official
assessments TCAP Achievement tests will be narrowed 20-35 percent
in RLA (3-8) TCAP EOCs will be narrowed 20-30 percent in English I,
II, and III Expand low- stakes assessments The Writing Assessment
will still be required in grades 5, 8, and 11 in February. The
offerings will be expanded to all grades 3-11. The February Writing
Assessment will be scored by Measurement Incorporated for all
grades that districts choose to assess. Provide additional
resources September: optional practice writing tasks released for
each grade band for ELA, science, and social studies. These tasks
are recommended for teacher, school, and district use. November:
Scoring rubrics and anchor papers for scoring writing tasks will be
posted (scoring of student work will be done locally by teachers)
November: Updated MIST portal launches; students can take practice
tasks online Early spring: second round of practice writing tasks
released (followed by scoring resources)
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2013-14 TCAP WA: Administration Districts will still be
required to administer the writing assessment in grades 5, 8, and
11. There will be a four-week testing window from February 3
February 28, 2014. The administration time for the Writing
Assessment will be expanded to more closely mimic PARCCs testing
guidelines and allow students to read two texts and write two
essays
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Will be modified to more closely mimic the PARCC Research
Simulation Task (RST) mimics a research project that assesses a
students ability to read multiple texts about the same topic and
synthesize the information into a coherent idea/argument. Students
will read two complex informational stimulus texts Texts will cover
social studies or science topics in order to demonstrate the range
of informational reading possible in a Common Core curriculum
(background knowledge not required) Students will write two essays
: One prose constructed response (PCR) about the first text. The
essay will be an analytical summary (informational/explanatory) One
PCR analysis of both texts. The essay will be
informational/explanatory or opinion/argument. 2013-14 TCAP WA:
Format
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Assessment evolution: 2013-14 TCAP WA 8 th grade practice
prompt 1. Analytic Summary Please read The Woman Called Moses by
Walter Oleksy and Meg Mims. In this text, the authors develop
several central ideas. After you have read, determine one central
idea from the text and write an essay that both summarizes and
analyzes how that central idea is conveyed through particular
details. Cite evidence from the text to support your analysis.
Follow the conventions of standard written English. Write your
essay in the space provided on the next pages.
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Assessment evolution: 2013-14 TCAP WA 8 th grade practice
prompt 2. Analysis Please read Leaders of the Civil War Era:
Harriet Tubman by Ann Malaspina. You have now read two texts about
Harriet Tubman. Write an essay that compares and contrasts the
authors purposes and how their purposes are conveyed in the two
texts. Be sure to cite evidence from both texts to support your
analysis. Follow the conventions of standard written English. Write
your essay in the space provided on the next pages.
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Reports for Writing are being redesigned and will be available
during the summer of 2014 Individual Student Reports and labels
will be shipped to districts. Summary reports will be available
online through the MI portal. TCAP WA: Scoring and Reporting
Information
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2013-14 : District and school accountability and TVAAS
calculations will continue to be based on the TCAP Achievement and
End of Course Tests (and additional growth measures such as K-2
[SAT10] for those opting in). 2013-14 : The Writing Assessment will
play no role in TVAAS or district/school AMOs. 2014-15 :
Accountability will move to performance on PARCC. The approach to
setting goals for accountability for the 2014- 15 school year will
be subject to our NCLB waiver. More information will be shared as
soon as it is available from the U.S. Department of Education. TCAP
WA: Accountability
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Why its worth accessing : Additional student and teacher
practice with online assessment before PARCC Students get practice
with tasks modeled on the Writing Assessment before February 2014
Teachers can enter and save scores for student work MIST Literacy
Portal: Background
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What it contains : Will house optional practice writing tasks
by grade band in ELA, science, social studies, and CTE tasks have
been developed to prepare students for the Writing Assessment and
increase literacy skills across other subjects Students will be
able to read texts and text-based tasks and type their responses
online. Students will have access to some PARCC-like tools such as
the ability to highlight and enlarge text. MIST Literacy Portal:
Background
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MIST Literacy Portal: User interface
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MIST Literacy Portal: Availability Month Tasks available in
Literacy Portal Content Grades/Grade Bands Mid-November 2013
Mid-January 2014 Phase I tasks available on Literacy Portal on MIST
ELA3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-10, 11 Science, Social Studies6-8, 9-12 CTE9-12
February 2014 Phase II - Official Writing Assessment Only ELA 3,
4-5, 6-8, 9-10, 11 March May 2014 Phase III Tasks available on
Literacy Portal on MIST, as well as all Phase I tasks ELA3, 4-5,
6-8, 9-10, 11 Science, Social Studies6-8, 9-12 CTE9-12
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2013-14: Assessment release timeline Get to know PARCC,
including NEW sample items and rubrics: www.parcconline.org (Also:
PARCC test design, blueprints, and Model Content
Frameworks)www.parcconline.org Stay informed about information the
TDOE is sharing: www.tncore.org (including dropped SPI list, text
complexity tools, summer training materials, and much more!)
www.tncore.org Coming: TCAP WA information page, assessment
transition plan Sign up for TNCore Updates Continue your own
professional learning: Student Achievement Partners:
http://www.achievethecore.org/. Includes PD modules, including
iTunesU courses.http://www.achievethecore.org/
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Additional Resources Resources to help educators access,
analyze, and act on data from last years TCAP WA, including
webinars and statewide results memo/grade-level summaries:
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/testing_information.aspx
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/testing_information.aspx
Resources available to help educators and students prepare for this
years TCAP WA : Phase I practice prompts:
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/sample_assessments/201
3-14sampleassessments.aspx
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/sample_assessments/201
3-14sampleassessments.aspx MIST literacy portal Rubrics and, coming
in November, scoring resources:
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/scoring_resources/2013-
14scoringresources.aspx
http://tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/scoring_resources/2013-
14scoringresources.aspx Assessment transition/timeline release
memos:
http://www.tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/testing_information.aspx
http://www.tncore.org/english_language_arts/assessment/testing_information.aspx
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Navigating practice prompts
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User name: tneducation Password: fastestimproving
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Navigating practice prompts
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THE FUTURE
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Backwards Planning: What do the new writing tasks ask our
students to know and do? Text-based Writing Assessment Shift away
from free-response prompt Read to write Use text evidence Modes of
Writing Focused/Organized Formal Development Academic Specific
Language Reading Complex Text Read to gain information Understand
authors purpose
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Text-based writing assessment If students must: Shift away from
free response prompt Read to write vs. reading for enjoyment Use
text evidence from reading (annotation) Then, we must shift our
teaching to: Develop prompt analysis as a pre-reading skill
Practice close reading to gain deeper text understanding
(Metacognitive processes) Model annotation strategies for students
to find quality evidence
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Modes of writing If students must: Be focused/organized Use
formal development (support and elaboration) Apply academic
specific language to writing Then, we must shift our teaching to:
Incorporate all writing structures for all students every year (not
focus on a type of writing per year) Help students use evidence and
elaboration to support arguments and analysis Develop strategies
for understanding content vocabulary in reading to use accurately
in writing
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Sample Writing Map
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Reading complex text If students must: Read to gain information
Understand authors purpose Then, we must shift our teaching to:
Focus on close reading skills and annotation strategies rather than
skimming a text to answer questions at the end of a section Read
authentic text samples to write about them and write for an
audience
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Also transitioning to Common Core requires specific
instructional shifts: Support deep content understanding from
reading vs. note-taking Develop strategies for reading content
Shift One: Develop Content Knowledge Use annotations while reading
Distinguish important vs. interesting WHILE reading Shift Two:
Reading & Writing with Evidence Develop strategies for reading
fluently and using metacognitive skills Engage in practice reading
rigorous texts Shift Three: Regular practice with complex text
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Focal Strategies Annotation System of strategies Quality
Evidence Gathering Close Reading Scaffolding text rigor Library of
content texts Authentic Text Teaching purpose of writing types
Teaching structured development Teacher PD on rubrics, anchor
papers, and scoring Writing Structures
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At Sumner County Schools Trained experts in each building
Modeled by expert in all content areas Developed simple system of
strategies school-wide in each building (tailored to student needs)
Held three professional learning sessions Collect accountability
logs monthly Close Reading
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Using Teacher Experts Created a core group of teachers across
the county that had summer professional learning (in collaboration
with Lipscomb University) on close reading Provided time for
teacher experts to give building-wide professional learning on
close reading before school started Created video models to provide
additional on-demand professional development on close reading
Additional modeling for struggling teachers
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At Sumner County Schools Taught three prong text analysis
(quantitative, qualitative, text to reader match) Creating shared
database of authentic article sources Scaffolding text complexity
to meet students at need levels Authentic Text
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Collaborative Free Database Authentic Text
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At Sumner County Schools Trained all staff in rubric using
anchor papers Incorporate writing maps, scoring, and anchor papers
during second semester Incorporate system of applying annotations
and evidence collection to writing task Use Literacy Design
Collaborative to create quality prompt-based tasks Writing
Structures
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Three Starting Points for Implementing Common Core Writing
1.Teacher Professional Learning on two writing rubrics, tasks, and
anchor papers Focused time around What will a student need to do
and what will I need to teach them to do 2.One to Two Student
Practice Text-Based Prompts One argumentative and possibly one
informative (samples available at TNCore website) 3.Teacher
Professional Learning around Common Scoring and Data Analysis Use
anchors for teachers to apply first PL and discuss student
strengths/challenges
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Resources www.tncore.org: assessment information, sample
assessment tasks, close reading tasks, units, summer training
materials, and more www.tncore.org http://www.parcconline.org/:
Info on PARCC PBA and sample items http://www.parcconline.org/
http://www.achievethecore.org/: ELA section features sample close
reading lessons, archive of student writing samples, PD modules,
and more http://www.achievethecore.org/
http://tntel.tnsos.org/curricular.htm: TEL provides teachers access
to free complex informational texts
http://tntel.tnsos.org/curricular.htm
http://www.literacydesigncollaborative.org/tasks/: LDC has
templates for creating writing prompts
http://www.literacydesigncollaborative.org/tasks/
http://www.engageny.org/: New Yorks Common Core site, including
ready-made curricular materials such as units and lessons
http://www.engageny.org/
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Questions? [email protected] Lior KlirsGiana SolomonLisa
Coons Coordinator of English Language Arts Content and Resources
Deputy Director of Assessment Design Middle School Coordinator
Tennessee Department of Education Sumner County Schools
[email protected]@[email protected]