Teaching Writing Effectively: 3 Powerful Formative Assessment Strategies

I still remember when my English teacher graded my performance in class. It was always challenging because English is a foreign language in Chile, so we did not have much exposure to the language. However, our experience in Spanish was used to compensate our limited vocabulary and knowledge in English. Multilingual learners of English (MLEs) face diverse linguistic and cultural challenges in the writing class, which makes more traditional (summative) writing assessments, such as quizzes and tests, less effective when compared to formative assessment procedures. Because formative assessment is essential in the MLEs’ classroom, here I present three powerful approaches to writing assessment.

1. Peer Assessment

One of the most effective and useful formative approaches in a writing class is peer assessment. Peer assessment is an authentic type of assessment that gives MLEs more chances to show evidence of their progress in writing. Most of the time and for a number of reasons, learners prefer to work with their classmates rather than being corrected by their teacher: among other reasons, this is because learners can give each other immediate feedback, they may feel less intimidated by a peer than a teacher, and peers with similar language backgrounds may better understand their struggles in writing.

To further foster the connection among peers that can support effective peer assessment, consider incorporating writing tasks that emphasize not only the use of the language but also the inclusion of cultural elements. This promotes a collaborative classroom environment and student-centered lessons, both of which motivate learners.

Example Practice

A science teacher is working with junior students, many of whom are MLEs. They assign a project on the effects of exercise on heart rate. Before the experiment, have students discuss how their cultures view exercise and heart health. Students form groups of three to four members and write down different exercise tasks to test their effects. The teacher encourages groups to include exercise tasks inspired by movements or activities from their cultures, such as traditional dances or martial arts. Before starting the experiments, each group presents their exercise tasks to another group for feedback. Groups will also rotate to observe another group conducting their experiment and use a rubric for evaluation (see below).

2. Holistic Rubrics in Writing

The use of rubrics in the writing class is an effective and time-saving strategy. Particularly, holistic rubrics are formative tools that give MLEs a general overview of what is expected from them — it is a single scale with all the criteria to be evaluated in a specific classroom project. These rubrics provide a broader idea of a learner's writing abilities, considering features like content, organization, genre conventions, and language aspects. These rubrics help MLEs to organize their writing and guide their composition, and they are often encouraging for writers because they focus on what the student can do and demonstrate as opposed to what is lacking. As an added plus, they are time-saving for the teachers using them.

Example Practice

Given the example practice in “Peer Assessment,” above, a holistic rubric for the peer review task would need to consider a balance among the scientific content, the collaborative process, and the language. Following is a holistic rubric created by ChatGPT for this activity when provided with the activity:

Click to enlarge (PDF)

3. Language Portfolios as a Digital Tool

Language portfolios are an authentic example of formative assessment in the classroom. Encourage your MLEs to keep a writing portfolio; portfolios allow learners to track their own learning experience and to reflect on their progress, promoting critical thinking. MLEs can also emphasize their cultural backgrounds by including narratives of their communities and their paths toward learning English.

Example Practice

A teacher assigns a portfolio as one of their assessment procedures. The primary activity contains the following:

• • • A biography: A summary of the learner’s linguistic identity and language learning. MLEs can include their school reports related to languages, their certifications, a written personal history, and the cultural features of their communities.
    • A dossier: A collection of learners’ work. MLEs can include their projects, assignments, and compositions.

Assessing writing can be challenging and time consuming for MLEs and teachers. However, formative assessment practices, such as peer assessment, holistic rubrics, and language portfolios, can motivate learners as they work together and observe and analyze their own progress. Effective formative assessment practices help to support MLEs’ writing and encourage engagement in the assigned tasks.