Assessing Writing

Billie Birnie has been teaching writing most of her life, first to students in elementary, middle, and senior high schools, and in recent years, to prospective and veteran teachers. Her experience in writing assessment spans several decades and ranges from classroom practice to district-wide testing.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1: Assessment Practices for TeachersChapter 2: Conducting a Writing AssessmentChapter 3: Establishing Interrater ReliabilityAppendicesA. Proofreading NotationsB. Prompts Appropriate for Timed, On-Demand Writing AssessmentC. Sample Instructions and Prompt for AssessmentD. Sample Answer SheetE. Table for Recording Students’ Performance on Writing AssessmentF. Analytic Rubric, QuantifiedG. Sample Individual Report of Interrater ReliabilityH. Sample Database and Preliminary Analysis for Study of Interrater ReliabilityResourcesReferencesAbout the Author

The University of Miami Writing Institute was one of the most valuable in-service programs that I ever attended. Co-sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, it is now known as the Glazer-Lorton Writing Institute. The Writing Institute provided me the opportunity to hone my skills in writing instruction and assessment. Dr. Billie Birnie was one of the visionary leaders of the Writing Institute. Although there are limited opportunities for teachers to interact with Dr. Birnie personally, we are fortunate that she continues to share her expertise through her writing. Dr. Birnie’s concise guide to writing assessment, Assessing Writing: A Guide for Teachers, School Leaders, and Evaluators, will help educators plan and implement writing assessment with greater success. Not only is the information clear and concise but it is well supported with a wealth of resources such as rubrics, prompts, and report formats. The encouraging and supportive tone of this text is indicative of Dr. Birnie’s respect for teachers. The key principle that 'your primary aim in assessing writing and thinking should be to improve both' is supported with practical guidelines. Preparing for high stakes writing assessments is a priority for most teachers, school leaders, and evaluators. Dr. Birnie patiently reviews the steps for designing and implementing a timed writing assessment using either a holistic or analytical rubric. She accompanies the technical explanation with reflective questions that guide the decisions to be made prior to and following the assessment. Although the technical explanation is thorough, the reflective questions are invaluable. By answering these reflective questions, instructional leaders can analyze and address the strengths and gaps in the instructional program.In any group effort, having everyone on the same page is easier said than done. As Dr. Birnie delineates the process for establishing interrater reliability, she explains that by consistently assessing student’s thinking and writing, we can greatly facilitate their improvement in both. The process stresses five actions and is explained in great detail. Having participated as a teacher, instructional leader, and evaluator in the collaborative effort to achieve interrater reliability, I can attest to its challenges as well as its merits. Once again, Dr. Birnie provides not only a blueprint for the process, but a reflective guide for analyzing the resulting data. Anyone who is charged with the responsibility to provide students with literacy skills will find this guide to writing assessment a valuable tool.