New+from+the+ESE+MCAS+Long+Essay+and+Open+Response

· ** Five Paragraph themes DO NOT receive the highest scores. ** o ** The team specifically asked the audience to help teachers not to use this formulaic method and to make sure that students write with voice, vitality, sentence variety, and style. Grammar is not assessed by its perfection but by a student’s demonstration of their CONTROL over grammar and usage. **
 * Based upon the 11/2/09 Presentation by the DESE ELA Trainers and Scorers **
 * The group wants to dispel a few myths about the long composition and ORQ scoring. **
 * Please read the following descriptions of the assessment of writing on the MCAS. **
 * Long Essay **

· ** ELA ORQs do NOT assess writing. Conventions are not scored. They assess reading comprehension only. ** o ** Explication (explanation in the student's own words) is essential to receive the highest score. ** o ** The student must answer the question in his or her own words PLUS specifically cite the text through direct quotation or through paraphrase. ** o NOTE: **Introductions and clincher sentences that do not answer the question or cite the text** do not add anything to the score**.**
 * ELA Open Response **

· ** The ESE said NCS mentor has some dated materials. Teachers need to read recent anchor papers to be sure they understand the scoring ** · ** They said the greatest power for NCS mentor comes when students assess long essays and ORQs. ** ASSESS WRITING ** || **Open Response Questions ASSESS READING ONLY ** || Content/Organization/Style/Voice/Vocabulary Conventions: Not perfection, but control over conventions || Assess reading comprehension || Either quoted or Paraphrased General Details are scored lower than specific Opening and closing sentences do NOT add to the score || Topic Development (includes vocabulary, tone, style, sentence structure, voice, subtle organization) to receive a 6 out of 6 Conventions do not have to be perfect; **control** over grammar and conventions rank a 4 out of 4 || Conventions are NOT scored || 6+6 and 4+4 || Four ORQs in tests worth 4 points each; 16 total. A 4 must show thorough comprehension of the reading based on the student’s explanations and text paraphrases or quotes. || Rubrics reflect generalization of qualities of anchor papers || Scores are based on anchor papers Rubrics reflect generalization of qualities of anchor papers ||
 *  || **Long Composition
 * Grades/Content || **Grades 4, 7, and 10 ELA** || **3,4,5,6,7,8,10: ELA** ||
 * **Purpose ** || Assess the quality of writing in the areas of:
 * **Question’s purpose ** || To prompt a student’s thoughts on a topic || Student must answer the question asked ||
 * **Source of answer ** || No correct answer, but must address the question/topic asked || Answers are found in the reading passage or can be inferred from the information in the passage ||
 * **Support ** || Support comes from a student’s experience or in grade 10 by ideas about literature that they have read. || Support must come from the text
 * PLUS explained with specific details from the text**.
 * Explication:** specify direct relationship between the passages and the student’s explanation. Without this students generally receive 2.
 * **Quality of writing ** || Two domains are scored:
 * NOT** formulaic five paragraph theme
 * The writing must move** the reader through the story/composition
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Score ** || Total worth maximum of 20
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Anchor Papers ** || Scores are based on matching anchor papers

Annotated examples will be added.