On-Demand Learning Module: Hand Scoring ELPAC Writing Task Types
This on-demand learning module provides educators the opportunity to learn—at their own pace and at a time that is convenient for them—about the hand scoring process for the items requiring hand scoring in the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) Interim Assessments for Writing task types. This module is designed to support both individuals and teams of learners.
The ELPAC Interim Assessments can offer teachers valuable insight into student learning as it relates to the 2012 California English Language Development (ELD) Standards. Hand scoring is an important part of preparing to use the interim assessments and it is a local responsibility.
Hand scoring provides an excellent opportunity to
- understand the expectations of the standards;
- learn from student work;
- consider the implications for teaching and learning; and
- identify meaningful, authentic ways to support students in developing essential skills.
Overview
Expect to spend approximately 1.5 hours hours engaging in this learning module.
Contents
This learning module consists of the following parts, which should be engaged with sequentially:
- Getting Started: Watch the Overview of the ELPAC Interim Assessments Video and Download the Scoring Materials (10 minutes)
- Part One: Learn About ELPAC Constructed Response Items (10 minutes)
- Part Two: Experience a Constructed Response Item and Learn How to Use the Rubric to Score a Student Response (10 minutes)
- Part Three: Review the Anchor Set (15 minutes)
- Part Four: Score the Check Set and Compare to the Check Set Key (35 minutes)
- Part Five: Consider Instructional Implications (5 minutes)
- Part Six: Complete Survey (Optional) (5 minutes)
Learning Goals
As a result of engaging in this learning module, participants will understand
- the language demands and skills assessed on the ELPAC Interim Assessment Writing task types;
- how to use the ELPAC Interim Assessment scoring tools and resources to score student work; and
- the value of analyzing student responses through the hand scoring process.
Success Criteria
Upon completing this learning module, participants should be able to
- understand the language demands and skills assessed on the ELPAC Interim Assessment Writing task types;
- score student work using ELPAC resources; and
- apply learning from this session to their teaching and learning practice to improve student learning outcomes.
Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on this part.
Complete these two activities:
- Watch the Overview of the ELPAC Interim Assessments and the Hand Scoring Process video to learn about the ELPAC Interim Assessments.
- Download the scoring materials.
Video: Overview of the ELPAC Interim Assessments and the Hand Scoring Process
ELPAC Scoring Materials
Participants in this course can select the grade level or grade span of their choice for this learning module. The ELPAC Interim Assessments are available for three grade levels (kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2) and four grade spans (grades 3–5, grades 6–8, grades 9 and 10, and grades 11 and 12.) Interim assessments can be assigned to students at any grade level or grade span.
Each grade level or grade span test can be administered for each of the four domains: Speaking, Writing, Listening, and Reading. Students’ answers for the Listening and Reading domains are machine-scored. By contrast, the Speaking and Writing domain responses are hand scored by educators locally at a school.
Note that for grades 3–12, the ELPAC Interim Assessments Writing domain is scored in the Teacher Hand Scoring System, and the kindergarten through grade 2 Writing and kindergarten through grade 12 Speaking domains are scored in the Data Entry Interface.
The ELPAC Interim Assessments Training Guide and Exemplars document is used for this learning module to support hand scoring. Table 1 lists the contents of the ELPAC Interim Assessment Training Guides and Exemplars for Writing task types. You may also reference the Directions for Administration (DFAs) documents for each task type that requires one-on-one administration in a standardized test setting.
NOTE: The ELPAC Training Guides and Exemplars are combined into a single document, unlike Smarter Balanced (English Language Arts and Mathematics), which has separate documents for each.
Training Guide | Exemplars |
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The Training Guide for Writing task types includes the directions, associated integrated skills, the primary and secondary standards alignment for the task type, the stimulus, and a task-specific scoring rubric.
The Exemplars for Writing task types include the following:
- An anchor set, which includes examples of student work that exemplify the attributes of a certain score level and that serve as a standard against which other responses can be judged
- A check set, which provides unscored exemplars for educators to practice applying the rubric
- A check set key, which provides assigned scores for items in the check sets
The check set and check set key help all educators calibrate to the same scoring expectations before scoring their own students’ work.
Before you begin this learning module, download the Training Guide and Exemplars for your chosen grade level or grade span.
Take these steps to download the materials:
- Log on to your TOMS account.
- Select the [Resources] tab.
- Select ELPAC Interim Assessment Secure Materials from the Available Materials drop-down list to view the Training Guides and Exemplars (figure 1).
Figure 1. Secure Materials web page
- Select the appropriate button to view the scoring materials for the desired grade level or grade span. Select the [Training Guide and Exemplars] link for each domain (figure 2).
Figure 2. ELPAC Interim Assessment Secure Materials screen—Grades 3–5
Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on Part One.
There are various task types in the Writing domain (table 2). This module focuses on the Write About an Experience task type, which is available for grades 1–12. The hand scoring concepts covered can be applied to other Writing task types and grade levels or grade spans.
Task Type | Grade Levels |
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Label a Picture—Word, with Scaffolding |
Kindergarten |
Write a Story Together with Scaffolding |
Kindergarten through grade 2 |
Write an Informational Text Together |
Grades 1–2 |
Describe a Picture |
Grades 1–12* |
Write About an Experience |
Grades 1–12 |
Write About Academic Information |
Grades 3–12** |
Justify an Opinion |
Grades 3–12 |
*For grades 3–12 the Describe a Picture task type is only available in Writing II.
**For grades 3–12 the Write About Academic Information task type is only available in Writing I.
Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on Part Two.
Now that you are familiar with the structure of the ELPAC Interim Assessments, you are ready to engage with the hand scoring process.
Experience a Constructed Response Item
Locate the Training Guide and Exemplars you downloaded earlier. Using the table of contents, navigate to the Write About an Experience section and scroll to the test question. Please note that if you are working on the grade 1 task type, you have been provided with a selection from the grade 1 DFA. This is because the grade 1 Writing task type is a one-on-one administration when given in a standardized setting.
Read through the item and answer the question as if you are a student taking the assessment. As you are working through the task, consider the language demands of this task for students, potential barriers for students, and learning opportunities that students will need to be successful with this task type.
Reflection and Discussion Questions
When you have completed a constructed response item, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:
- What do you notice?
- What do you wonder?
Review the Task Type-Specific Rubric
In the Training Guide and Exemplars you previously downloaded, locate the task type-specific rubric that corresponds with the constructed response item you experienced in Part 1. Take the next two to three minutes to review the item-specific rubric. Notice how the rubric is organized and how it describes the minimum expectations required to earn each score point. Take note of anything that is not clear to you or that you have further questions about.
Expect to spend approximately 15 minutes on Part Three.
Review the Anchor Set and Annotations
The anchor set contains examples of student work that demonstrate the attributes of different score points and serve as a standard against which other student responses can be judged. Locate the anchor set in the Training Guide and Exemplars you previously downloaded. Each of the anchor set prescored responses begins with an “A,” followed by their number in the set (e.g., A-1).
Reflection and Discussion Questions
Now that you have reviewed scored student samples, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:
- What is your reaction to these anchors?
- How do these anchors inform your understanding of the rubric language?
- What teaching and learning strategies can be used to help students develop the language, knowledge, and skills needed to meaningfully engage with this task?
Expect to spend approximately 35 minutes on Part Four.
Read and Score the Check Set
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 or grade span. Each check set is noted with a “C,” followed by the number in the set (e.g., C-1).
- Note: Resist the temptation to review the scores in the check set key. You will have the opportunity to consult the check set key in Part 5.
Now you will score each sample student response using the task type-specific rubric and any information you found helpful from the anchor set. Provide a rationale for each score you give.
Check Your Scores Against the Check Set Key
Once you have scored all of the student sample responses in the check set, compare your scores to the scores in the check set key located in the Training Guide and Exemplars document you previously downloaded.
Reflection and Discussion Questions
- How do your scores and rationales compare with the assigned scores and comments and annotations in the check set key?
- Are there any decision rules you used to help you score the responses in the check set? Do any decision rules need modification after reviewing the assigned scores or comments and annotations in the check set key?
Expect to spend approximately 10 minutes on Part Five.
Educators also have flexibility on how to administer interim assessments. How an assessment is administered can impact how the data it provides can and should be interpreted. In a standardized administration, a student completes the interim assessment individually following the administration procedure used for the summative assessments. The results can be considered an assessment of student learning or an assessment of what students know. In a nonstandardized administration, a student completes an interim assessment under conditions that are not consistent with the administration requirements of the summative assessment.
Some possible ideas of how you might administer the ELPAC Interim Assessment for Writing are provided in table 3. The table lists some possible ideas but consider all the possibilities that would make sense for your grade level or grade span, teaching context, instructional objectives, and student needs.
Standardized Administration | Nonstandardized Administration |
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Reflection and Discussion Questions
Now that you have learned how to hand score a Writing item, reflect on your own or discuss with colleagues the following questions:
- How would the evidence you collect about student learning inform instruction?
- How would the data you collect around students’ progress toward proficiency in the California ELD Standards inform teaching and learning?
Additional Resources
Additional resources for hand scoring the ELPAC Interim Assessments include the following:
- 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.
- The CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments web page provides links to several other resources.
- ELPAC Moodle Training Site provides access to training for the Initial ELPAC, Summative ELPAC, Initial Alternate ELPAC, and the Summative Alternate ELPAC.
- The Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series provides direct, online training focused on leveraging the interim and formative components of the CAASPP and ELPAC system of assessments to inform teaching and learning. Find upcoming opportunities or past recordings on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page.
Expect to spend approximately 5 minutes on Part Six.
Congratulations on completing the On-Demand Learning Module for Hand Scoring ELPAC Writing Task Types.
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