Pre-Assessment for Differentiation

Pre-Assessments

Pre-Assessments for writing are more often than not writing samples, and I follow that trend.  It's near impossible to gauge how well a student can write from a multiple choice or fill-in the blank type of test.  Pulling your thoughts from your mind and transferring them to paper are complex tasks that need to be judged with authenticity--hence the writing sample.

The Prompt and Evaluation

Prior to beginning a narrative fiction unit, I would give my sixth grade students a prompt similar to this.  I often use a combination of word and picture prompts.  I feel that these are more than likely to capture the imagination of the greatest number of students.

Once the students have completed the assessment, I review them based on grade level exemplars.  I have a few resources such as  www.writinga-z.com and www.k12.thoughtfullearning.com that I use.  The exemplars look like this:

Groupings

Using the exemplars, I am able to scan and quickly evaluate whether the samples are above, at, or below grade level.

Group #1- Advanced

This group is above grade level and my goal for them is to keep pushing them to improve their writing and create more complex stories.  They already are well-versed in how to use dialogue and sensory language to pull the reader into the story.  I will challenge them to move past a standard plotting of a story to include subplots and to increase the role of sidekick characters.

Group #2- Proficient

This group is writing at grade level but is lacking the deeper skills needed to really make a story come to life.  For this group, I will focus on analyzing different short stories and bringing to life how successful authors use techniques such as sensory language and dialogue to help paint pictures with their words and move the story along.  Logical sequencing will be stressed.

Group #3 - Limited Knowledge

This group is writing below grade level and has trouble creating a story with logical sequencing and relevance.  This group will receive small group instruction using well-written picture books to identify protagonists, problems they are trying to solve, and antagonists. This instruction will emphasize that stories need to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. 

https://prezi.com/view/cUOgyPfe1k98UjGqYbAJ/