the assessment of writing
TRANSCRIPT
The Assessment of Writing
Santander, 16th March 2017
To consider assessment criteria and how to create markschemes which are clear, effective and fair
To share resources and activities which can be used to help develop learners’ writing skills
1
2
4
Aims of the seminar
To consider writing microskills
3
Using the can do statements for writing, to examine suitable writing tasks to test at the different levels of the CEFR
Writing skills
understanding task/context
Writing skills
register
referencing lexis
grammar
linking
spelling
paragraphing punctuation
tone
conventions
Overall written production scale C2 Can write clear, smoothly flowing, complex texts in an appropriate and
effective style and a logical structure which helps the reader to find significant points.
C1 Can write clear, well-structured texts on complex subjects, underlining the relevant salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples, and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.
B2 Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of sources.
B1 Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within his field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
A2 Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’.
A1 Can write simple isolated phrases and sentences.
Assessment criteria for Cambridge English:
Writing Tests
Subscales
Content
Communicative Achievement
Organisation
Language
Content
Communicative Achievement
Organisation
Language
understanding task/context
Writing skills
register
referencing lexis
grammar
linking
paragraphing
spelling
punctuation
tone
conventions
B1 Sample Task
B1 sample script – examiner comments
Communicative Achievement: Straightforward ideas are communicated in generally appropriate ways. The letter format is attempted.
Organisation: The letter is generally connected and somewhat coherent. Sentences tend to be short and are connected with a limited number of basic, high-frequency linking words and referencing pronouns.
Language: Everyday vocabulary is used generally appropriately, despite the spelling errors. Simple grammatical forms are used with some degree of control. Attempts at other tenses and verb forms are less successful. A number of errors are present but meaning can still be determined.
B1 sample script – marks
• Content: all content relevant to task (5)
• Communicative Achievement: (3)
• Organisation: - (2)
• Language: (3)
Cambridge English: Preliminary Writing tasks
B1 I can connect phrases in a simple way … I can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. I can narrate a story.. I can write personal letters describing experiences and impressions.
B2 sample task
More sophisticated linking words and phrases (e.g. “moreover”, “it may appear”, “as a result”)
grammatical devices:
reference pronouns
substitution (e.g. There are two women in the picture. The one on the right ...)
ellipsis (e.g. The first car he owned was a convertible, the second a family car.)
repetition
Cohesive devices
less-explicit ways of achieving connection at the between sentence level and beyond
e.g.
arranging sentences in climactic order,
the use of parallelism,
using a rhetorical question to set up a new paragraph.
Organisational patterns
B2 sample script – examiner comments
Communicative Achievement:
Informal, friendly, enthusiastic but polite tone, appropriate for task. Email conventions used appropriately, and standard phrases for emailing a friend. Straightforward ideas are communicated.
Organisation:
Well organised and coherent, using input email well to structure response. A variety of linking words and cohesive devices (e.g. substitution and referencing) are used across sentences to connect simple ideas.
Language:
A range of everyday vocabulary is used, relevant to the topic. A range of simple and some complex grammatical forms are used with a good degree of control, e.g. modals, present and past tenses. There are some errors and some spelling mistakes but these do not impede communication.
B2 sample script – marks
• Content: all relevant to task (5)
• Communicative Achievement: B2 (3)
• Organisation: B2+ (4)
• Language: B2 (3)
Full stops and commas http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/activities-for-learners/b2w005-full-stops-and-commas Connectors and punctuation http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/activities-for-learners/b2g003-connectors-and-punctuation
C1 sample script – examiner comments
Communicative Achievement:
Essay-writing conventions are used effectively to communicate ideas clearly. The register is mostly consistent. There is a mix of straightforward and complex ideas running through the paragraphs and the main points are clearly signposted.
Organisation:
The essay is well organised and coherent and shows good use of a variety of cohesive devices to connect ideas across sentences and paragraphs. Some complex organisational patterns are used to generally good effect.
Language:
A range of vocabulary, including less common lexis, is used effectively. There is a range of simple and more complex grammatical forms used with control and flexibility. There are occasional errors but these do not impede communication and are sometimes due to ambition.
• Content: all relevant to task (5)
• Communicative Achievement: C1+ (4)
• Organisation: C1+ (4)
• Language: C1+ (4)
C1 sample script – marks
C1 written production
set out multiple perspec-tives on an intellec-tual issue
complex academic or professio-nal topics
reports, articles or essays
· maintains high levels of linguistic accuracy over extended text · makes effective use of linguistic modality to signal the strength of claim, argument, or position · makes clear author’s own stance on the issue · clearly distinguishes own ideas and opinions from those of (multiple) sources · style appropriate to the genre adopted
Finding inspiration
Giving rules to obey is the best way to influence young people. (C1)
Given that rules are bound to be met with opposition, what is the point of having them?
Setting rules goes against some people’s way of thinking. Not mine.
Not only is giving advice to teenagers a difficult thing to do, but it will also inevitably be rejected.
What younger people need is clarity and firmness.
Wherever you go, you find rules.*
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