Writing Assessment Test Practice Tips for Middle School

I'm just going to say it. Teaching writing to middle school students is a bit like herding cats. It just is. Students have a wide range of abilities. Many have had negative experiences when they were younger. Some love to write. Some just hate it, and most kids are somewhere in between.

And they are all in one classroom.

At the same time, teaching writing can be extremely gratifying. There's no better way to see a student's growth and improvement. When a prompt or assignment resonates with a student, they shine. It's absolutely the best.

So it's really all about the best of times and the worst of times, I guess.

Another irony about teaching writing is that the process is similar to the writing process itself. You plan, you execute, you see ways to improve, and you revise. Each assignment (hopefully) gets better.

I don’t claim to know everything about writing instruction. Far from it. But after years of trial and error, I have reached a few conclusions.

What I Know . . .

1. Modeling the thinking process is key. It's a game-changer when students see proficient writers revise their ideas through trial and error. 
2. Using charts and graphic organizers helps students stay focused.
3. Coaching students through the writing process IN CLASS is a very valuable use of class time. Assigning essays as homework is a waste of time because students usually sit down after an exhausting day at 9:30 p.m. or later and try to write while their phone is buzzing and beeping.  Having students write during class means I can quickly review the main goals of the assignment with them, and they can work uninterrupted with me right there to help them. The results are sooooo much better.
4. Writing is the culmination of thinking. When students write about something they have read, their reading, writing, and thinking skills improve dramatically.
5. Strong essays need guidance. It’s like golf. If you give someone a set of golf clubs and send them out on the course, they will whack at the ball, but to be a good golfer, they need an instructor. Likewise with writing. If students practice bad habits, they become better at poor writing.
6. Similarly, sending students out on the golf course with their friends with a list of instructions doesn’t help them learn to golf well either. The same is true for peer editing.
7. Peer-editing works well with talented writers who can articulate their thoughts effectively, But generally speaking, students can’t learn to write well from their peers. They need a knowledgeable, skilled writer to guide them. They need a teacher.

We know students need a lot of practice. They also need meaningful teacher feedback. But there are only 24 hours in a day, and teachers are only human, so how do we provide feedback in a manageable way?

Writing Assessment Practice Tips

Do short, quick writing activities with your students whenever you can. Focus on a specific trait of writing. When working on argument essays, you might focus on organization, voice, or word choice. Depending on time and your goals, students may write for 10-20 minutes on a single prompt.

Step 1: Give students a prompt and the appropriate amount of time in class to work on it. It can be 10 minutes. Maybe they only write one paragraph. Maybe they finish it for homework. It’s up to you. While they work, you can either write a sample or read the responses from your previous class.

When the date for a writing assessment test approaches, my students write for 30 minutes because that’s the time they are allowed on the test.

Step 2: Read and react. Provide feedback, but do not grade their essays. Don’t copy edit them or correct every mistake. After reading several, choose 1-3 strong pieces to share with the class. The next day, project the examples and review/analyze their strengths with the class. You can either have students revise their original piece or assign another prompt and have students write that day.

Step 3: Repeat until students have 3 different writing pieces for their portfolios. Note that you don’t need to read all of the essays every night. When practicing for a writing assessment, you’re just trying to determine where they are as a class at this point. You can read a handful of essays and know what you need to clarify or explain to them as a class.

You also just need a handful of good examples to show your students. When pressed for time, I go to my strongest writers first to find good examples. Sometimes, though, I find some treasures among my lesser-abled students. Using even part of their pieces gave them an incredible boost. Maybe they have a great opening sentence. Or a fabulous counterargument.

Step 4: Choose 1-3 examples to share and analyze. Then do another prompt.

After they have completed at least 3 prompts, go to

Step 5: Have students choose one of the three essays for you to grade. Have them tell you which piece they chose and why. Keep all three pieces in their writing portfolios.

When students go through the process of choosing their best piece, they will learn to self-evaluate. Also, they will see their progress, which gives them a feeling of accomplishment.

Reading and reacting to a piece saves you time, while still guiding your students' writing. It's a classic win/win!

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