Incorporating the Show-Me Standards in the Communications Arts Classroom Using Writing Portfolios

Date of Graduation

Summer 1998

Degree

Master of Science in Education in Secondary Education

Department

Reading, Foundations, and Technology

Committee Chair

Carter Cramer

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to incorporate writing activities and assignments congruent with Missouri Show-Me Standards into the communication arts classroom. The activities, assignments, reflection questions and rubrics are designed to be reproduced or adapted by other Missouri communication arts (also called language arts) teachers (grades 9-12) as they write curricula aligned with the Show-Me Standards. Many language arts teachers in the state will be changing their methods of teaching and assessment to comply with the state-mandated Show-Me Standards, a set of process and contents standards designed to set higher expectations for students. Evaluation of school curriculum guides through the Missouri School Improvement Plan, also state mandated, makes such alignment necessary. Each activity and lesson plan includes the process standards and communication arts content standards addressed by the activity and plan. The assignments are incorporated through the use of working portfolios and presentation portfolios, forms of assessment that follow logically from the Show-Me Standards. The working portfolios are maintained in the classroom throughout the year and contain writing at various stages of the writing process, as well as evaluation rubrics and reflection sheets. The presentation portfolios contain final drafts of student work and are evaluated at various times throughout the year. Students may choose which works are included in the presentation portfolio, consistent with guidelines set by the teacher. Besides writing activities, this project includes the Show-Me Standards, a writing process paradigm, sample reflection questions and rubrics for scoring individual writing and entire portfolios. This project also complies with the IRA/NCTE (national) standards for the language arts.

Subject Categories

Education

Copyright

© Kim Chism Jasper

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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