Conducting writing assessment during online learning has been so far is the greatest challenge teachers have been facing. Having faced this dilemma for a year now, I then have come up with this interactive, student-led writing assessment template. Let’s walk through what you can see on this template.
This writing assessment template for online teaching starts with a definition of “persuasive writing”. The OREO guide on how to write a persuasive essay will certainly enticed students for the task. Texts highlighted in yellow are instructions that the students will have to carefully read. Texts higlighted in green are the spots that need students’ answers.
This template is linked to an amazing set of six episodes of youtube videos. Those videos come in particular order and I found it appropriate for my class. Each video runs for 2-5 minutes, and it discusses the steps on how to write a persuasive essay. Every after video, there is a certain task.
Working with grade 4 students, I did see great improvement on how they are loving to come up with their own words in answering their tests. However, since I also want to remind the students that they need to be okay with their own words in filling this writing assessment template for online teaching, I added that sign below the template. “COPY PASTE work from GOOGLE is not allowed”. I believe this one works.
I’m pretty excited for page 3 because of this old rose box. The LINKING WORDS box has a special instruction. It says “skip this for now”. Looking forward that the students can follow exactly these guided steps. If you notice the sky blue highlights, that dictates a new set of instructions and these items should be clearly explained when you present the document. The sky blue highlights are optional, but then I will still have to encourage my students to try hard and dive deeper by exploring this section. In these boxes, they need to add some facts about their opinion. That involves searching the web, and could work better for advanced students. Though of course everyone can give it a try. It depends on how much time you have, or just a simple teacher’s discretion.
Persistence and striving for accuracy is what I always encourage my students to observe.
Everyone enjoys an exciting introduction. Page 4 is all about writing an amazing one. I know there can be many tips that we want to mention on how to write an introduction. However, with the limitations of online learning, we can only choose what we think is best for our students. For me, I chose to let them write their introduction using rhetorical questions. Students will eer out what style they would love to use, and obviously I would agree if that suits that student.
Page 5 of this writing assement template for online teaching is my ultimate favorite page. There is a clear instruction that after the first few pages, students need to do a little brain break, use the toilet, and drink some water before proceeding to the next pages. I hope you can encourage all your students to do the same. Believe me, they need that little shaking off after watching the videos and thinking for some ideas they will write. The tiny box for the date and sender’s name signals the start of this persuasive writing . Let’s begin!
Now the writing has officially started. The green box is for their introduction and as students reach this page, they will see that special note that encourages them to use conjunctions for their writing assessment. This is what I am looking forward to seeing. I am thinking that this template will work better than before. I used to provide my students templates using google slides. They loved it but it was challenging for me to check their work. I am hoping that this will writing assessment template will turn out as how I imagined it. I will get back to this blog to tell you the result of this template in my class.
Save the best for last as I always believe and do.
So, the last page could give students a big relief. Some of them probably will cause some changes on how the original template looks, and that pretty much stresses us some times. However, if we have explained it carefully before giving them this copy, I don’t foresee that happening. Of course this online writing assessment template ends with a conclusion, salutation and signature. My students are pretty excited to reach this part of their letter, to affix their signature on this writing assessment template. Page 7 has a little self assessment, which I alwasy love doing. I have seen great improvement in my online class if this self assessment is happening regularly. This simply is encouraging the students to be responsible and honest while doing their work online. I have been doing this and this is always what I enjoy and love seeing from my students. How responsible, determined and honest they have become during our online learning.
So there you go teachers. I hope I have given you a clear instruction about this writing assessment template for oline teaching. I am hoping that you will find this helpful. Feel free to download this file now and don’t forget to ping or tag us back. Happy teaching everyone, this is Teriz of Journey4Us…
“creating with passion”.
[quads id=1]