English Online – http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz
Camp Thrills, Chills and Spills

Assessment Schedule

The following progress indicators have been developed for the National Exemplar Project (see http://www.tki.org.nz/r/assessment/exemplars/eng/index_e.php) to assist teachers when evaluating student progress and achievement in poetic writing, eg. personal recount. They are currently being trailed in schools. 

Poetic Writing

LEVEL 2

Write on a variety of topics, shaping ideas in a number of genres, such as letters, poems and narrative and making choices in language and form. 

Progress Indicators

DEEPER FEATURES

Impact

·	Attempts to gain the reader's interest. 
Voice

·	Personal voice generally apparent 
Ideas

·	Focuses on and begins to develop ideas that are personally significant, with some supporting detail and comment. 
Structure

·	Sequences ideas logically. 
·	Shows some evidence of selecting events. 
·	Links events by using words that indicate the passage of time, eg., then, later, next 

Sentences

·	Uses mainly simple and compound sentences. 
·	Begins to vary sentence beginnings. 
·	Uses some conjunctions. 
·	Attempts complex sentences. 

Vocabulary

·	Uses simple language that includes a wider vocabulary, eg. a range of verbs. 

Language Features

·	Begins to use figurative language to add interest, eg. similes, alliteration and onomatopoeia. 
·	May attempt direct speech. 

SURFACE FEATURES

Grammar

·	Use most grammatical conventions with support. 
·	Attempts more complex sentences, which may include errors. 
·	Explores verb tense, past and present. 

*Note: Grammatical conventions include:

·	Correctly formed sentences 
·	Consistent use of tense 
·	Subject-verb agreement 
·	Consistent use of pronouns 
·	Correct use of prepositions 
·	Correct syntax 

Punctuation

·	Begins to use capital letters, full stops, commas, question marks, and speech marks with some independence. 

Spelling

·	Spells most high frequency words correctly (Spellwrite lists 1-4)
·	Shows knowledge of consonant sounds, blends and vowels 
·	Shows some knowledge of common spelling patterns 

THE WRITER: CONTEXT AND PROCESS

·	Understands the purpose of telling a past experience or happening. 
·	Selects significant moments in time to record. 
·	Recognises that she or he is writing for an audience other than self, but may be limited because she or he assumes shared knowledge. 
·	Recognises that different audience and purposes require different language features. 
·	Takes risks in choosing vocabulary. 
·	Chooses topics easily. 
·	Comments on his or her and others' writing. 
·	Uses modelled ideas effectively and adapts these for his or her purposes. 
·	Uses writing spontaneously for thinking. 
·	Uses a variety of resources to find unknown words. 
·	Proofreads his or her work with growing independence. 
·	Beginning to revise and edit work with some independence. 

LEVEL 3

Write on a variety of topics, shaping, editing and reworking texts in a range of genres, and using vocabulary and conventions, such as spelling and sentence structure, appropriate to the genre. 

Progress Indicators

DEEPER FEATURES

Impact

·	Often gains the readers' interest 

Voice

·	Personal voice apparent 

Ideas

·	Develops ideas which are personally significant adding detail and comment. 

Structure

·	Attempts to shape ideas for effect. 
·	Begins to organize some ideas into paragraphs. 

Sentences

·	Uses a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences. 

Vocabulary

·	Uses a range of vocabulary, eg. more precisely focused verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. 

Language Features

·	Uses figurative language to add interest and appeal to the senses, eg. metaphor and personification. 
·	Uses direct speech if appropriate. 

SURFACE FEATURES

Grammar

·	Uses most grammatical conventions correctly but with a few errors. 

*Note: Grammatical conventions include:

·	Correctly formed sentences 
·	Consistent use of tense 
·	Subject-verb agreement 
·	Consistent use of pronouns 
·	Correct use of prepositions 
·	Correct syntax 

Punctuation

·	Punctuates with increasing independence, eg. uses capital letters, full stops, question marks, speech marks, and the apostrophe. 

Spelling

·	Spells most high frequency words correctly (Spellwrite Lists 1-6). 
·	Demonstrates good understanding of all basic sounds and patterns in written English. 

THE WRITER: CONTEXT AND PROCESS

·	Uses language and writing style appropriate to record a past happening. 
·	Provides audience with enough information for them to make sense of the experience. 
·	In writing, seeks opportunities to explore and reflect on experiences. 
·	Uses models of written text to extract criteria for writing. 
·	Appreciates his or her and others' work. 
·	Uses and responds to constructive criticism. 
·	Articulates the language strategies used. 
·	Writes independently for sustained periods. 
·	Revises and edits work with growing independence. 

Poetic Writing

LEVEL 4

Write on a variety of topics, shaping, editing and reworking texts in a range of genres, expressing ideas and experiences imaginatively and using appropriate vocabulary and conventions, such as spelling and sentence structure. 

Progress Indicators 

DEEPER FEATURES

Impact

·	Maintains the readers' interest. 

Voice

·	Sustains personal voice. 

Ideas

·	Explores ideas that are significant in his or her life. 
·	Clearly focuses on developing main points and significant events of interest. Uses substantial illustrations, interpretative comments, evaluations or observations, to support the main points and sequences of events. 
Structure

·	Shapes ideas for a particular effect. 
·	Organises ideas into paragraphs. 

Sentences

·	Uses a variety of sentence structures for effect. 

Vocabulary

·	Selects a range of vocabulary to suit the audience and purpose. 

Language Features

·	Uses figurative language to amplify the content or engage the audience. 
·	Uses dialogue to enhance the telling. 

SURFACE FEATURES

Grammar

·	Uses most grammatical conventions correctly parentheses, dashes, colons, semicolons and the ellipsis (dots to show emissions). 
·	Demonstrates an understanding of paragraphs. 

Punctuation

·	Uses punctuation appropriately, eg. parentheses, dashes, colons, semicolons 

Spelling

·	Spells most high frequency words correctly (Spellwrite lists 1-7)

THE WRITER: CONTEXT AND PROCESS

·	Is very confident in using written language as a tool to communicate responses and reflections on personal experience. 
·	Can articulate the elements of personal style and voice when reviewing work by other writers. 
·	Can use a thesaurus to extend his or her understanding of word meanings. 
·	Revises and edits work independently for greater effect. 

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)