1. Assessing spelling, handwriting and written expression
Professional Development Course on Catering for Diversity in English Language Teaching ENG5316  Assessing Diversity in English Language Learning
Session 4
Assessing spelling, handwriting and written expression
Prepared by YANG, Chi Cheung Ruby, Department of English, HKIEd

2. Nature of Written Language
Written language involves the linking of language, thought and motor skills.

3. Learner Factors that Influence Reading and/or Writing Performance
Prior content knowledge
Attitudes and motivation
Acquisition of language competence
Physical development
Attention, perception, and memory
(Lipson & Wixson, 2009) 3

4. Written Language Assessment
Work Sample Analysis
It involves reviewing students’ classwork and homework.
It is useful to:
analyze work samples from different subject areas
compare the student’s work samples from earlier in the school year with the current samples in order to note progress (or regression) (Spinelli, 2006)

5. Written Language Assessment
Observation
Observations should be made when the student is:
copying from texts on the desk
copying from the board
writing compositions
Areas of focus:
Posture
Handedness
Grip of the writing instrument
Quality and speed of writing

6. Written Language Assessment
Checklist for Observing Writing Habits

7. Written Expression Assessment7
Written Expression Error Analysis
Teacher can select from various writing samples, including in-class and homework assignments.
Identify the types and patterns of the errors

8. Written Expression Assessment
Diagnostic Inventory
A comprehensive inventory that assesses the student’s written language skills in specific areas (Spinelli, 2006).

9. Diagnostic Inventory

10. 10

11. Spelling Assessment Spelling Error Analysis Types of spelling errors:
Letter additions
Letter omissions
Letter substitutions
Letter reversals
Letter transpositions

12. Task 1
Based on the writing sample provided, try to identify the types of spelling errors made by the student.

13. 13

14. Spelling Assessment
Spelling Demons

15. Spelling Assessment Spelling Demons
Certain words are commonly misspelled by general population.
The 100 commonly misspelled words are known as spelling “demons”. 15

16. Spelling Assessment Dictated Spelling Tests
Words selected from any graded word list and students’ performance indicates their spelling grade level.
Instructional level:
75-90% accuracy

17. Spelling Assessment Informal Spelling Inventory
It is used to determine the approximate grade-level proficiency for spelling words (in isolation).
Teachers can construct their own informal spelling inventory (of about 20 words).
The list of words is dictated to the student.
Adequate mastery:
90-100% correct
Instructional level:
75-89% correct

18. Spelling Assessment Diagnostic Spelling Inventory
It can help to determine which specific skills need further evaluation.

19. Spelling Flow List

20. Spelling Flow List
To administer fewer words and closely monitor progress toward mastery, teacher selects several key words and assesses them three days in a row.
If the word is spelled correctly three days in a row, proficiency is assumed.
To check long-term mastery, the teacher dictates the word again one week later.
Once mastery is achieved, more words will be added to the spelling mastery list (Spinelli, 2006). 20

21. Phonemic Awareness Spelling Assessment
To determine whether students have phonemic awareness, the teacher asks them to spell words that they do not already know.
Because they have not learned to spell these words, they must rely on invented spelling (Spinelli, 2006).

22. Administering the Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Teacher calls out each word at least twice (or as many times as the student requests).
The teacher tells the student to spell each word as best he/she can, writing each sound he/she hear in the words.
Then compare the number of letters written to the phonemes in the word.

23. Interpretation for the Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Students who consistently write three or four letters:
Have some ability to segment phonemes
Students who write only one or two reasonable letters per word:
Beginning to segment phonemes
Students who write nothing / string together letters indiscriminately:
Have not learned to segment phonemes

24. Handwriting Assessment
Prerequisite skills for handwriting:
Muscular control
Eye-hand coordination
Visual discrimination
How can teachers assess students’ prerequisite skills for handwriting?

25. Handwriting Assessment
Handwriting legibility
The clarity and readability of handwriting
Fluency
The rate of written production

26. Handwriting Assessment
Checklist of Handwriting Skills

27. Handwriting Assessment
Handwriting Error Analysis
Misdirection of letters
Excessive slant
Poor spacing
Messiness
Misalignment
Excessive or insufficient amount of pencil pressure

28. Task 2
Based on the writing sample provided, try to identify the handwriting errors made by the student.

29. Handwriting Assessment
Analysis of Handwriting Errors

30. Handwriting Assessment
Rating Scale: Zaner-Bloser Evaluation Scale
Assessment of students’ handwriting based on samples provided for comparison.
A separate rate scale is available for printed and cursive writing.

31. Handwriting Assessment

32. Handwriting Assessment

33. Handwriting Assessment
Rating Scale: Zaner-Bloser Evaluation Scale 33

34. Handwriting Assessment
Rating Scale: Zaner-Bloser Evaluation Scale
Ratings can also be made more objective by considering the five major handwriting skills: shape, slant, spacing, size and smoothness.
Each is judged as either Satisfactory or Needs Improvement.

35. Handwriting Assessment
Rating Scale: Zaner-Bloser Evaluation Scale
Excellent: All the five factors are satisfactory
Good: Four of the five factors are satisfactory
Average: Three factors are satisfactory
Fair: Two satisfactory areas
Poor: One satisfactory area

36. Task 3
Based on the writing sample provided, try to assess the student’s handwriting using the Zaner-Bloser Evaluation Scale.

37. Handwriting Assessment
Observation
It is important to consider not only the legibility of the student’s writing but also the speed.
Speed can be assessed by asking the student to copy a passage (of 100 words) and time how long it takes the student to complete the copying (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2008).

38. Handwriting Assessment
Observation
How is the student seated?
In what position is the student’s paper?
Does the student grip the pen or pencil too tightly?
Does the student write with the right or left hand?
When the student writes, does he/she move the entire hand smoothly across the page or just move the fingers in an attempt to draw each letter?

39. Handwriting Assessment
Observation
Does the student exert a great deal of pressure on the paper?
If writing with a pencil, does the student break pencil points frequently?
How often does the student erase or cross out mistakes?
What is the size of letters (too small or too large)?
What is the proportion of one letter or word to another?

40. Handwriting Assessment
Observation
How about the slant of words (too much or irregular)?
What is the letter formation (e.g. poor circles or straight lines, lines disconnected, etc.)?
How about letter alignment (off the line, etc.)?
What is the speed of the student’s writing (too fast or too slow)?
Does the student have difficulty copying from the board or from a text on the desk? (vision problem)

41. Assessing Written Products
Evaluation of written language using the student’s actual work products.
Issacson (1988) suggested that fluency, content, convention (including spelling and handwriting) and vocabulary should be evaluated.
Salvia and Hughes (1990) suggested that the two major areas of content and style should be evaluated.
In the area of style, errors might be located in grammar, mechanics (e.g. punctuation and capitalization), and word usage.

42. Assessing Written Products

43. References
Issacson, S. (1988). Assessing the writing product: Qualitative and quantitative measures. Exceptional Children, 54(6),
Lipson, M. Y. & Wixson, K. K. (2009). Assessment and instruction of reading and writing difficulties: An interactive approach (4th ed). Boston, Mass.: Pearson Education.
McLoughlin, J. A. & Lewis, R. B. (2008). Assessing students with special needs (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Salvia, J. & Hughes, C. (1990). Curriculum-based assessment: Testing what is taught. New York: Macmillan.
Spinelli, C. G. (2006). Classroom assessment for students in special and general education (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.