Education, Testing, Writing

1. HOW TO TEACH WRITING
FOR EXAMS
Joanna ochoa v.
Testing and evaluating

2. BASIC FEATURES THAT WRITING TESTS SHARE
Number of words
Choice of writing task
Candidates usually write their answers
in a booklet
Scripts are not marked electronically
but manually by examiners

3. WRITING TASKS
Content and procedural
knowledge-based tasks
Open-ended tasks
Input-based tasks
•Specific knowledge
or experience of
some kind.
•All content is
generated by the
student.
•Common
knowledge.
•To integrate the task
input into the
answer.

4. DIFFERENT TYPES OF WRITING
 Articles (magazines, newspapers)
 Reports
 Reviews
 Competition entries (stories)
 Leaflets and information sheets
 Contributions to brochures
 Applications
 Letters
 Personal notes and messages
 Essays
 Compositions

5. •Much more is measured
in writing tests than just
grammatical accuracy.
•Amount of vocabulary
that the student knows.
•Grammar and
vocabulary are
never assessed
independently of
communicative
purpose.
•Candidate scripts
are marked by
assessors.

6. DESCRIPTION OF OVERALL TASK ACHIEVEMENT AND /OR
DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIFIC SKILLS
•Ideas well developed, easily
understood. Clearly adresses the
issue. Good control of both complex
and simple structures; some localized
errors that do not interfere with
comprehensibility. Vocabulary
generally appropiate and on target.
4 High
Pass
•Ideas easily understood, might not be
well linked, Adresses the issue. Good
control of basic structures and basic
vocabulary. Some complex structures
and more advanced vocabulary but
with errors that do not interfere with
comprehensibility.
3 Pass

7. KEY SKILLS
Task achievement
- The writing tasks are expressed in terms of reader and writer roles in terms of
communicative purpose.
Coverage of required points
- There is task input of some kind that candidates are expected to integrate
into their answers.
Evidence of original output
-There are points to cover in the tasks and candidates are expecred to use
their own words.
Range of control of structures and vocabulary
-Candidates are expected to know a range of vocabulary and a variety of
grammatical structures.
Organization and cohesion
-Demonstration of understanding of how texts are structured as a whole and
of paragraph structure.

8. Appropiate
presentation and
register
• Candidates
need to know
how the various
genres are
typically
presented.
Achievement of
desired effect on
target reader
• Combining an
understanding
of the role
relationship and
the
communicative
purpose.
Development of
topic
• In advanced
writing exams,
candidates are
expected to do
more than
simply provide
an answer to a
question.

9. ASSESSING WRITTEN WORK AND PROVIDING
FEEDBACK
What criteria should be used to assess written
work?
 The criteria used to assess written work should
be as close as possible to those used in the
exam itself.
 Assessing written work is a responsibility that
can be shared with students.

10. CHECKLIST
Have you checked your work carefully for mistakes with the following:
1. Spelling?
2. Basic grammar?
3. Punctuation?
Have you followed the instructions for:
1. Length?
2. The kind of text you are suppossed to write?
3. Points to include?
How do you think someone reading your letter, article, brochure, report, etc.
Would react?
A. Very well
B. Quite well
C. Ok
D. Not very well
E. Badly

11. PROVIDING FEEDBACK
Numerical
or letter
grade
Stengths
and
weaknesses
Positive
comments

12. Dealing with erros
of forms
Reading and
analysing task
rubrics
Dealing with the
elements of task
input
-Errors that impede
communication
-Use of correction
codes.
-Plenty of practice is
necessary.
- Demands from the
rubrics.
-Students need to be
trained to
paraphrase.
- To integrate their
own ideas.

13. GENERATION OF IDEAS
Brainstorming
Planning

14. TRAINING STUDENTS TO REVISE THEIR OWN WORK
• Before students submit work they should
be given an opportunity to revise it.
• Pair-work activity.
• Exchange and comment on each
other’s work.
• Students become comfortable about
commenting on their classmates’ work.
• When the work finally reaches the
teacher, there is much less to correct.

15. Giving students timed
writing practice
•Memorizing answers.
•Asnwer a few words
over or under the
limit fail.
•Spending time on a
really good answer.
Debunking
misconceptions
•Reading the rubric
•Brainstorming
ideas
•Planning
•Writing
•Revising
Teaching students to
make good use of
their time in the exam

16. HANDWRITING