Job Discussion Forums

[igorG]

Reasoning behind the scores of our students' tests may be difficult and perhaps even subjective. In writing, it could not only create much more work for the teacher but also a lot of questions for the students, supervisors, school leaders, parents and even lawyers. My observation is that focusing on all the areas of the students' writing and the requirement for corrections of everything opens the doors to wide.

In my class, i provide plenty of correction codes when i focus on some specific areas of writing. That comes with my students' homework assignments prior to the written exams. Such corrections provide my students with feedback and the necessary improvement in certain areas. My professional view, however, is that such correction codes aren't to be included in official written exams.

How do you carry out your written exams where essays are marked? How should FTs formally administer final written exams? Should they use correction codes, and/or explanations to the final test scores?

Any response will be appreciated

[wangdaning]

Provide criteria for the mark to both the students and parents well before the actual exam. Everybody knows what is expected and can't get upset at you if they fall short.

[w.melon56]

I have documents (scoring sheets) that have clearly defined criteria. I have these for speaking, writing, etc. There is little to no confusion in what this or that is. From tense mismatch, to misspellings, to length of pauses in speaking, internationally defined expected vocabulary level, etc. I provide these to students and use it for actual testing. It is clear what score I select based on MULTIPLE criteria. Make your own or request to borrow from others and you can thus have your own defined scoring system. It's that simple.

[Baozi man]

Uh, duh, how about spelling, punctuation, and grammar?

[igorG]

The criteria, that we have, is a bit ambiguous, although it provides a fair guide to all. My students have got all that, and i have suggested it is used to reason with parents as well. However, the powers insist i expand on the marks with individual comments, which i am unwilling to do.

Yes, spelling, punctuation, grammar, wrong use of words, poor paragraphing, difficult to identify main ideas or supporting details to them, ridiculous introductions/conclusions, and so on and on.

[kev7161]

[Baozi man]

Igor, Grading writing samples, unless you stick to spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation is something you should not allow yourself to be drawn into.

I recently reviewed some writing samples after a student complained about a low score. I compared his sample to several others. He received 10/25. I saw papers worse than his which had received 18/25, 15/25, and so forth.

The hundreds of papers are corrected by the entire department of about 10 teachers. Do you think they scrutinize each paper?

Writing courses should count for at least 1.5 teaching hour credits for every classroom hour. Writing courses require too much out of class time to be creditied the same as other classes.

Furthermore, Chinese students are taught to write in a manner which, from the perspective of someone who actually knows how to write, is wrong.

Stick with objective criteria to avoid problems.

[wangdaning]

[igorG]