Reply to Common Core's epic fail: Special Education

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think the writing standards have been very beneficial for our ESOL and special education students.

The classroom teachers are teaching a lot more writing now that they know writing to a prompt will be on the state testing at the end of the year.   The writing standards for the classes I teach say that students will specially be able to do the following (4th grade)

Opinion Writing:

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Expository Writing:

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

Narrative Writing
Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Students are really expected to be able to write by the end of 4th grade.    They are supposed to be able to write clearly and coherently, and to stay on topic.   Believe me a LOT of kids in 4th grade (not just ESOL and LD students) have trouble right now writing on a topic and not veering from the topic.   They have trouble with mechanics too (poor spelling and punctuation, mostly)   But I can see the results of the increased teaching in my students:   they are developing writing stamina because they are being asked to write a LOT.  They are organizing their thoughts into coherent paragraphs.   They are re reading their sentences to see if they make sense or if they have left out a word.

We did a practice test a few weeks ago, and a lot of kids failed.   They didn't address the writing prompt!   The prompt said "Write about A" and the kids wrote about something completely different.   So, the teachers are now working on how to write about the prompt, not just come up with whatever you want.   Some of the Special Education kids had a hard time with that, but they are improving.

Some kids really are't yet writing at anything close to a 4th grade level.   They are working at a K, 1st or 2nd grade level.   Even so, the goal is to move them up as quickly as possible to this higher level of writing.   My ESOL kids can't compose a piece with multiple paragraphs yet, but they can write on the topic, with simple sentences, and can spell words so that they can be understood, even if they aren't using perfect spelling.   Next year when they are in 5th grade I hope they will be able to be writing on grade level.[/quote]

These examples could also be 10th grade writing or college level writing.  [/quote]

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