On-Demand Learning Module: Hand Scoring ELA Performance Tasks

Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on this step.

Participants can select the grade level of their choice for this learning module. If collaborating with a colleague or team, all team members should choose the same grade-level ELA performance task.

The Smarter Balanced training guides and exemplars are used for this learning module to support the scoring of the items that require hand scoring. The table that follows lists the contents of the Smarter Balanced training guides and exemplars (table 1).

The training guide contains directions, sources, the student assignment or prompt, and a rubric.

The exemplars are examples of student work that demonstrate a certain score level’s attributes and serve as a standard against which other student papers can be judged. Exemplars contain the following:

• An anchor set, which includes a prescored set of anchor papers, with scoring comments to explain the reasoning for the assigned score
• A check set, which provides an unscored set of sample student responses
• An answer key, which provides assigned scores for items in the check sets—answer keys help educators to better understand the task, the rubric, and how to calibrate scoring before scoring their own students’ work.

Before you begin the learning module, download the training guide and exemplars for your chosen grade-level performance task. Take these steps to download the materials:

1. Log on to your Test Operations Management System (TOMS) account.
2. Select the [Resources] tab once signed in to TOMS.

3. Select SB Interim Assessment Secure Materials—Hand Scoring Training Guides from the Available Materials drop-down list to view the Interim Assessment Hand Scoring Training Guides and exemplars (figure 1).

   

   Figure 1. Secure Materials web page

4. Navigate to the section labeled “ELA” and select the appropriate button to view the training materials for the desired grade level (figure 2).

   

   Figure 2. ELA section on the Secure Materials web page

5. Locate the section labeled “Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs),” and download the training guide and the exemplars for your chosen performance task. Be sure to download the training guide and exemplars for the full write.

Once you have downloaded the training guide and exemplars for your chosen grade level, you are ready to begin the learning module.

Expect to spend approximately 40 minutes on this step.

Performance tasks are composed of a set of questions centered on a common topic that measures capacities, such as depth of understanding, writing and research skills, and complex analysis. Smarter Balanced includes performance tasks in ELA for both the interim and summative assessments. To learn more about the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments, watch this video.

Video: Overview of the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments

The scoring opportunity in this module focuses on the full-write portion of the ELA performance task. The process of using a rubric to score student responses in the full-write item is similar to other item types that require hand scoring, such as short constructed-response items.

When you are finished watching the video, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:

• What types of assessment do you currently use?
• Do your assessments include the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments? If so, which ones, and how do you use them?
• Which assessments are most useful in helping you understand student learning of the standards?

Experience a Performance Task

This learning module includes completing a performance task from the perspective of a student in your chosen grade level. Locate the ELA training guide you downloaded and navigate to the performance task. When you reach the full-write item at the end, develop a thesis statement and an outline for writing rather than crafting a full response.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

When you have completed the performance task, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:

1. What do you notice?
2. What do you wonder?
3. How can you prepare students for this type of task?

Expect to spend approximately 15 minutes on this step.

The training guides support educators in scoring the full-write portion of the ELA performance task. In the training guide you previously downloaded, locate the full-write rubric that corresponds with the grade level and text type for the performance task you selected.

Notice how the full-write rubric is organized and that each page focuses on scoring a different trait of writing. Read through the entire rubric and note how the writing traits are described at each level. Then, watch the Scoring Rubrics for ELA Performance Tasks video to learn how to use the rubric for scoring.

Video: Scoring Rubrics for ELA Performance Tasks

Expect to spend approximately 15 minutes on this step.

The exemplars are examples of student work that demonstrate a certain score level’s attributes and serve as a standard against which other student performances can be judged. Locate the anchor set materials in the exemplars you previously downloaded for your grade-level performance task. Each anchor set is noted with an “A,” followed by the number in the set, at the end of the student sample.

Review the sample student responses and scoring comments in the anchor set. At the top of each response, you will find a table that includes the grade level and stimulus title, the Smarter Balanced assessment claim, targets, Common Core State Standards, and the assigned score points.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Now that you have reviewed scored student samples, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:

1. What is your reaction to these scored student samples?
2. How do these samples inform your understanding of the rubric language?
3. What teaching and learning strategies can be used to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to meaningfully engage with performance tasks?

Expect to spend approximately 25 minutes on this step.

It is time to practice scoring student responses on your own. Locate the check set materials in the exemplars you previously downloaded for your grade-level performance task. Each check set is noted with a “C,” followed by the number in the set, at the end of the student sample.

• Note: Resist the temptation to review scores in the answer key. We will complete this step once you have had a chance to score samples and reflect on or discuss your scores.

On your own, review the sample student responses in the check set and score the unscored student samples.

1. Review the full-write prompt and rubric.
2. Read the complete student response and look for evidence related to the traits in the rubric:
   • You may choose to focus on one trait at a time or match evidence in the student’s work across the rubric traits.
   • It helps to pay close attention to the summary statements at the top of each rubric level as well as the key words in the bulleted descriptors.
3. Review the evidence in the student’s work against the descriptors and select a score for each trait. Look for a preponderance of evidence or best fit.

Once scoring is complete, check the scores in the answer key located in the exemplars you previously downloaded.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Now that you have practiced scoring student samples, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following:

1. How do your scores compare with the master scores in the answer key?

Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on this step.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Now that you have learned to score a performance task, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:

1. What have you learned today that can strengthen your practice?
2. How can you align what you learned with the interests and knowledge of your students?
3. What resources can help you?

Additional Resources

• The CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessment Video Series consists of six modules covering the content and purpose of the interim assessments and how to use related systems and resources.
• The Interim Assessment Lookup Tool provides information about the total number of items on CAASPP and ELPAC interim assessments and the number of items that require local hand scoring.
• Smarter Balanced Practice Tests and Sample Questions provides educators with an opportunity to use the same testing software and review sample test questions to see what students will encounter during testing.
• Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Item Portal provides individual test questions and answer keys for educators with access to interim assessments, helping to better understand content, types of questions, and how to use interim items with students to support learning.
• Smarter Annotated Response Tool provides examples of student writing, scoring comments, and rubrics for educators to learn how to score constructed-response items and performance tasks.
• Understanding Proficiency Video Library provides professional learning videos with topics including scoring and analyzing student work.
• The CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments web page provides links to several other resources.

Expect to spend approximately 5 minutes on this step.

Congratulations on completing the On-Demand Learning Module for Hand Scoring ELA Performance Tasks.

Please fill out this optional survey to help us improve future versions of this on-demand learning module.

On-Demand Learning Module Survey