Common formative assessment in writing involves looking at student writing samples in order to assess learning and drive instruction.  This approach has always been a powerful aspect of the Empowering Writers approach.  After establishing a common vocabulary around the writing skills that all effective writers possess we look at work in terms of skills taught, skills applied, and those that are still not apparent in student writing – but we don’t leave it there.  We follow that with a huge variety of lessons designed to introduce, model, and provide practice opportunities around these skills.

The student writing samples that follow have been annotated to affirm and reinforce skills that have been taught, and to offer concrete suggestions on how to improve. Following each piece you’ll also see a summary of suggestions and specific lessons designed to address these needs.

Below are actual student samples of narrative, expository and persuasive writing, annotated for strengths and weaknesses. 

Each piece includes teacher commentary on the specific strategies and lessons that would best be used to move the student forward.