Using formative assessment rubrics in English · Web viewLevel 9: They select evidence from the text to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence

Using formative assessment rubrics in English

Writing TEEL analytical paragraphsLevels 8 and 9

Authorised and published by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment AuthorityLevel 7, 2 Lonsdale StreetMelbourne VIC 3000

ISBN: 978-1-925676-95-2

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2019.

No part of this publication may be reproduced except as specified under the Copyright Act 1968 or by permission from the VCAA. Excepting third-party elements, schools may use this resource in accordance with the VCAA educational allowance. For more information go to: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Footer/Pages/Copyright.aspx.

The VCAA provides the only official, up-to-date versions of VCAA publications. Details of updates can be found on the VCAA website: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au.This publication may contain copyright material belonging to a third party. Every effort has been made to contact all copyright owners. If you believe that material in this publication is an infringement of your copyright, please email the Copyright Officer: [email protected]

Copyright in materials appearing at any sites linked to this document rests with the copyright owner/s of those materials, subject to the Copyright Act. The VCAA recommends you refer to copyright statements at linked sites before using such materials.

At the time of publication the hyperlinked URLs (website addresses) in this document were checked for accuracy and appropriateness of content; however, due to the transient nature of material placed on the web, their continuing accuracy cannot be verified.

The VCAA logo is a registered trademark of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.


ContentsThe formative assessment rubric.......................................................................................................5

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–10...........................................................................................5

The formative assessment task.........................................................................................................8

Description of the task (administration guidelines).........................................................................8

Interpreting evidence of student learning.........................................................................................10

Setting the scene..........................................................................................................................10

Sample 1...................................................................................................................................11

Sample 1: Evidence of student learning................................................................................12

Any feedback given...............................................................................................................12

Sample 2...................................................................................................................................14



Sample 3...................................................................................................................................16



Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learning..............................................................18

Teacher reflections.......................................................................................................................18


What is formative assessment?Formative assessment is any assessment that is used to improve teaching and learning. Best-practice formative assessment uses a rigorous approach in which each step of the assessment process is carefully thought through.

Assessment is a three-step process by which evidence is collected, interpreted and used. By definition, the final step of formative assessment requires a use that improves teaching and learning.

For the best results, teachers can work together to interrogate the curriculum and use their professional expertise and knowledge of their students to outline a learning continuum including a rubric of measurable, user-friendly descriptions of skills and knowledge. Teachers can draw on this learning continuum and rubric to decide how to collect evidence of each student’s current learning in order to provide formative feedback and understand what they are ready to learn next.

The VCAA’s Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics outlines how to develop a formative assessment rubric to collect, interpret and use evidence of student learning to plan teaching and learning. For more information about formative assessment and to access a copy of the guide, please go to the Formative Assessment section of the VCAA website.

Using formative assessment rubrics in schoolsThis document is based on the material developed by one group of teachers in the 2019 Formative Assessment Rubrics project. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority partnered with the Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne, to provide professional learning for teachers interested in strengthening their understanding and use of formative assessment rubrics.

This resource includes a sample formative assessment rubric, a description of a task/activity undertaken to gather evidence of learning, and annotated student work samples.

Schools have flexibility in how they choose to use this resource, including as:

a model that they adapt to suit their own teaching and learning plans a resource to support them as they develop their own formative assessment rubrics and

tasks.

This resource is not an exemplar.

Additional support and advice on high-quality curriculum planning is available from the Curriculum Planning Resource.

© VCAA Page 4

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Footer/Pages/Copyright.aspx


The formative assessment rubricThe rubric in this document was developed to help inform teaching and learning in English. While this rubric supports the explicit teaching of analytical paragraph writing using the Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence and Link (TEEL) structure, it provides evidence on students’ ability to read a text and demonstrate their understanding of how text structure and language features impact the positioning of the reader.

This formative assessment rubric is designed to provide teachers with information about what students are currently demonstrating when they write TEEL paragraph responses to prompts about a given text. It is designed to enable students to show they can:

write a topic sentence that provides a point of view related to the prompt include evidence to support their point of view elaborate on their ideas and evidence write a concluding or linking sentence that summarises their point of view.

Please note that this rubric does not include the assessment of punctuation. Whilst punctuation is often taught in conjunction with analytical writing, the purpose of this rubric is to focus on students’ ability to respond to texts and employ evidence in support of their point of view.

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–10

Curriculum area: English

Mode: Reading and viewing, and Writing

Levels/Bands: 8 and 9

Achievement standard/s extract: Reading and Viewing

Level 8: They explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to represent different ideas and issues in texts.

Level 9: They select evidence from the text to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence an audience.

Writing

Level 8: They create texts for different purposes selecting language to influence audience response.

Level 9: They create texts that respond to issues interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts.

Content Description/s: Level 8:

Interpret and analyse language choices, including sentence patterns, dialogue, imagery and other

© VCAA Page 5



language features, in short stories, literary essays and plays (VCELT409)

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (VCELY420)

Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the effectiveness of own texts (VCELY421)

Level 9:

Analyse text structures and language features of literary texts, and make relevant comparisons with other texts (VCELT439)

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (VCELY449)

© VCAA Page 6


https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCELY449

https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCELT439



https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/VCELT409

Learning continuumEnglishMode: Reading and viewing, and writingLevels 8 to 9Strand: Literature

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5

Identifies key events in the text, making reference to characters and/or settings.

Describes characters, settings and events relevant to topic.

States a point of view and uses characters and events to support argument.

Identifies language choices that are being used to influence the reader, and that support their contention.

Explains how identified language choices influence the reader, and support their contention.

Organising element Action Insufficient evidence

Quality criteria

TEEL paragraph 1 Writes a topic sentence

1.0 Insufficient evidence

1.1 Writes a topic sentence. 1.2 Writes a topic sentence that presents a point of view relevant to the stimulus.

2 Provides an explanation of the idea being analysed


2.1 Identifies a key idea/theme that the author explores.

2.2 Elaborates on ideas/examples that the author explores.

3 Uses evidence 3.0 Insufficient evidence

3.1 Retells the key events in the text.

3.2 Describes characters and events that relate to the topic.

3.3 Explains how characters and events support their point of view.

3.4 Identifies literary devices/language features.

3.5 Explains how literary devices/language features position the reader.

4 Uses quotes 4.0 Insufficient evidence

4.1 Includes full sentence quotes as independent sentences.

4.2 Includes full sentence quotes that relate to their point of view.

4.3 Embeds a full sentence quote. 4.3 Embeds snippet quotes (single word/phrases quotes) supporting point of view.

5 Writes linking sentence


5.1 Repeats topic sentence 5.2 Summarises their point of view.

5.3 Concludes by explaining the consequences or significance of their point of view.

© VCAA Page 7

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/aboutus/policies/policy-copyright.aspx

The formative assessment taskThe following formative assessment task was developed to elicit evidence of each student’s current learning and what they are ready to learn next.

Description of the task (administration guidelines)

Preparation

Students have been explicitly taught:

How to unpack a topic or prompt by:

identifying key words identifying qualifiers identifying synonyms rewriting the prompt in their own words brainstorming which characters and events are relevant creating a contention.

Analysis as strategic dissection of a text. It is about discussing what the writer/director is doing, not about whether a reader/viewer liked the text, the characters or the way the story was told.

TEEL paragraph structure Conventions of using quotes:

If they need to omit a letter/word from the quote they are to use … or [ ]. Quotes are identified by using single quotation marks ‘ and ’.

Instructions

Students write a TEEL paragraph in response to a writing prompt relevant to a text they are studying.

Teachers should familiarise themselves with the rubric and the administration guidelines. Teacher will collect and assess writing samples. Teacher to use the rubric to identify students’ level of competency.

Considerations

Depending of the year level being taught and students’ familiarity with the TEEL structure, more or less time will need to be spent on the explicit teaching noted above.

As it is only a paragraph response, you may wish to tailor your writing prompt to refer to specific sections of a text, rather than the text as a whole.

Students must be familiar with the text so they can respond to the topic. Consider the timing of this task to account for explicit teaching and feedback before a

summative task. Students may complete this task in the format that best suits their needs, for example,

handwritten or typed. You may decide to provide a quote list.

© VCAA Page 8

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/aboutus/policies/policy-copyright.aspx


Evidence collected from this task

Student writing samples.

© VCAA Page 9



Interpreting evidence of student learning Evidence collected from each student was mapped against the rubric:

The quality criteria that were achieved was shaded in blue. The phase that the student is ready to learn next was shaded in green.

Please note, the following annotated student work samples are representative examples only.

Setting the sceneThese samples were collected from a rural co-educational government school. The school has selected formative assessment as a focus to improve teaching and learning.

Students were given a copy of the rubric and provided time to read it. The teacher explained that the rubric was going to be used to assess their ability to use the TEEL paragraph structure. Each action in the rubric was explained by the teacher, and clarifying questions were answered.

Students completed the formative assessment task before moving on to writing a complete text response essay. This enabled the teacher and students to focus on how to embed TEEL structure in longer responses.

Students had two 120 minute lessons to write four individual TEEL paragraphs. They were given five essay topics on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and had to write on four of the topics.

© VCAA Page 10



Sample 1

© VCAA Page 11



Sample 1: Evidence of student learning

Annotations 1.2: Student re-writes the prompt as a topic sentence. 2.1: Student identifies a key theme the author explores. The student does not elaborate

on the identified theme. 3.3: Student describes the actions of characters and key events and is beginning to

explain how these relate to their contention (‘The reader understands that Scrooge isn’t very kind but after seeing the way others talk about him and his loneliness you never completely dislike the poor fellow’)..

4.2: Evidence is entirely in full-sentence quotes and the student has yet to master snippet-quotes.

5.2: Student summarises their point of view.

What is the student ready to learn next?Phase 3 is the next phase of learning for this student. They can demonstrate a point of view in relation to a topic and identify relevant textual evidence to support their argument. They are working towards explaining in more detail the significance of their chosen quotes, and embedding these more effectively in their writing.

Any feedback given

Done well:

addressed all key ideas in the question summarised their argument in the linking sentence well.

Where to next:

consider how to reword the topic sentence in more creative ways consider the order of your evidence. Establish why Scrooge is not-likeable before

explaining why he is sympathetic. elaborate on your evidence in more detail: What lessons could we learn? What point

might the author be making?

© VCAA Page 12

Learning continuum English Mode: Reading and viewing, and writing Levels 8 to 9 Strand: Literature








Quality criteria
























practise identifying the key parts of your quotes and embedding them into your own writing.

© VCAA Page 13



Sample 2

© VCAA Page 14




Annotations 1.2: The student identifies a topic sentence with a clear point of view. 2.1: The student identifies several key ideas but doesn’t elaborate on these ideas. For

example, she points out that we begin to ‘warm’ to Scrooge when Scrooge’s sister comes to get him from school, but doesn’t explain why.

3.2: The student describes relevant details but does not explicitly explain how these support their point of view.

4.2: Quoted material is relevant but is long, with no attempt at introducing or explaining the quotes.

5.2: The student brings the ideas discussed in the paragraph together.

What is the student ready to learn next?

© VCAA Page 15



The next phase of learning is Phase 3. The student needs to develop their ability to elaborate on and explain their point of view, using evidence from the text.

Any feedback given

Done well:

addressed all key ideas in the question summarised their argument in the linking sentence well.

Where to next:

The next time you use the TEEL paragraph structure, focus on learning how to embed quotes and remember to explain how your selected quotes support your argument.

© VCAA Page 16









Quality criteria
























Sample 3

© VCAA Page 17




Annotations 1.2: Student re-writes the prompt, agreeing with it.

2.2: Student identifies strategies the author uses to show that change can occur.

3.3: Student uses the actions of characters and key events as evidence but does not discuss any form, structure or literary device evidence.

4.3: Evidence is entirely in full-sentence quotes but some attempt is made to embed them. The student has yet to master snippet-quotes.

5.2: Student does not repeat their topic sentence but summarises evidence.

What is the student ready to learn next?Phase 4 is the next phase of learning for this student. They can demonstrate a point of view in relation to a topic and select textual evidence to support their contention. They are working towards identifying specific literary devices, discussing authorial intent and using embedded quotes in their writing.

Any feedback given

Done well:

student elaborated on their key ideas and addressed the question summarised their argument.

Where to next:

use linking phrases, such as like ‘Similarly’ and ‘However’, to make links between ideas and evidence in your paragraph.

practice identifying the key parts of your quotes and embedding them into your own writing.

© VCAA Page 18









Quality criteria
























Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learningUsing the rubric to review the TEEL paragraphs enabled the teachers to identify clear groupings for targeted teaching in subsequent lessons. For one group of students, the obvious next step would be to focus on learning how to embed quotes. For another group, their essay would greatly improve if they had time to practise elaborating on their ideas to show greater complexity or connections to other ideas.

Teacher reflectionsThe significant difference for us after spending time focusing on teaching TEEL paragraphs and using the formative assessment rubric is that students comfortably moved from writing TEEL paragraphs to writing full text response essays. There wasn’t the usual complaints and reluctance to start writing that we have usually experienced. Students felt comfortable that they knew what to do, and had a clear specific goal to focus on. Also, when we moved on to write text response essays, students seemed to feel that all they needed to learn next was how to write an introduction and conclusion. Students wrote a reasonable amount as well.

© VCAA Page 19


Documents

Using formative assessment rubrics in English · Web viewLevel 9: They select evidence from the text to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence