Texas English Language Proficiency

Assessment System

TELPAS Writing Overview

2008-2009

Texas Education AgencyStudent Assessment Division

ELL in Humble I.S.D.

• Fall 2001ELL 1226• Fall 2002ELL 1438• Fall 2003ELL 1578• Fall 2004ELL 1750 • Fall 2005ELL 2146• Fall 2006ELL 2423• Fall 2007ELL

2824• Fall 2008ELL

2923

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Fall2001

Fall2003

Fall2005

Fall2007

Why Is TELPAS Administered?

• To meet NCLB assessment requirements for ELLs

• To meet NCLB accountability requirements for ELLs

The proficiency level descriptors of TELPAS

provide a systematic way for teachers to

holistically rate a student’s English language

proficiency level in 4 domains based on

observations of the student in daily classroom

instruction.

Eligibility Requirements

All students in Grades K–12 who are identified

as limited English proficient, including LEP

students with parental denials, are required to

be assessed through TELPAS.

All students are assessed at their enrolled

grade levels.

In rare cases, a LEP student served by special

education may be exempted by the ARD

committee on a domain-by-domain basis.

Collaboration with Others

As TELPAS raters determine the

proficiency ratings of their assigned

students, collaboration with other school

personnel knowledgeable of the process

is highly encouraged.

Understanding Language Proficiency in Social and Academic Settings

BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills

CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

BICS

CALP

The Argument for Academic English Language Proficiency

Goal in Assembling Writing Collections

• To make sure that the collections portray the students’ overall English language proficiency

Writing Activities

• TELPAS writing samples should be taken from authentic classroom activities, and not a separate assignment for the ELLs.

The Benefit of Writing

• Remember that when ELLs write across the content areas it helps them build skills in those academic areas and internalize English language skills.

Writing Collections

• Writing collections are required for students in grades 2-12

• Raters will base their ratings solely on the collections

• The collections may be audited by the state following the spring 2009 assessment in order to:– Monitor rating accuracy and effectiveness of rater

training– Monitor the quality of the collection

Writing Collections

• The following samples are required in each collection– 3 narratives (one about a past event)– academic writing samples (science, social studies and

math)

• Writings assigned as of 2/2/2009 (not before that date) may be part of the collection. The samples should be submitted by March 6

• Ratings will be conducted beginning March 23

Calendar of Events

Date TELPAS event

February 2-March 6, 2009 Collection of writing samples

By March 13 K-12 classrooms set up for online input

February 2 Window opens for online refresher (K/1 and 2-12)

March 9 – 13, 2009 Campus Verifier Review Writing Collection

March 23 - April 10, 2009 TELPAS raters rate

March 23 - April 10, 2009 TELPAS reading window

Writing Collections• Do NOT include papers:

– containing copied language– reflecting heavy use of a dictionary or thesaurus– showing teacher corrections– Polished through editing by others– Written primarily in the student’s first language– That are brief, rushed, or incomplete (prewriting

activities are too brief to be a part of the collection)

Building Collections

• Strive to gather more than the required samples for each student. Then choose those that meet the criteria and are most reflective of the student’s current proficiency level.

Assigning Writing

• TELPAS writing should not be a separate activity or an assignment given only to the English Language Learners. It is intended to be authentic classroom writing.

Assigning Writing

• Writing with titles like “Quick Writing”, “5-minute Writing”, “Writing Warm-up” should be avoided in a TELPAS writing collection. Such assignments tend to generate writing that is rushed, brief or incomplete.

Examples from science

• Explain a scientific process

• Write why lab rules are important

• Write how to use a device or equipment

• Write about something you are learning in your science class, whether it is easy or difficult, why it is important, etc.

• Explain the steps in a scientific investigation

Examples from mathematics

• Write about the way you use math outside of school

• Explain the steps in a mathematical process

• Write about something you are learning, whether it is easy or difficult, etc.

• Write to reflect the thinking you do to solve a problem

Examples from social studies

• Write about a historical figure, the person’s contributions or significance

• Defend a point of view about a policy or issue

• Write a persuasive piece to influence a change in policy or law

• Write about something you are learning, why it is important to learn, etc.

Tips for good collections

• Encourage students to take their time and write in as much detail as they can.

• Include some writing tasks that let the students show the English they know – what they CAN DO in English.

• Include some tasks that stretch and push students to their limits to show the full extent of what they can do, and if applicable, what they CANNOT do.

Beginning Level Writers

• It is expected that even beginning-level students will have writing collections containing samples in English. It is not acceptable to include samples written primarily in the native language, regardless of proficiency level.

Beginning Level Writers

Students who are at the early stages of the beginning level will likely have samples using very very formulaic, rememorized language as well as vocabulary that they have just learned.

“Brief Writing”

• The length of the writing samples within a collection will depend partly on the student’s proficiency level.

• What is acceptable at one proficiency level may not be acceptable at another.

“Brief Writing”

• Students who are capable of writing in a detailed, extended way should not have samples in their collection that don’t reflect that.

• Raters will have to consider students’ abilities in determining whether papers are too brief to be included.

Verify Collection Contents

• Campuses must designate a collection reviewer to verify the contents of the writing collection. This person must NOT be a TELPAS rater.

• The reviewer must verify that:– Each sample shows the student’s name and

date– Each collection has the appropriate number

and types of samples

Verify Collection Contents

• The reviewer must also verify that:– No samples are from before Feb. 2, 2008– No papers have teacher corrections– No worksheets or Q-A assignments are

included

The designated reviewer will sign the TELPAS writing collection cover sheet in affirmation that the collection is adequate.

Verifying the Writing Collection Components

• If the collection meets these requirements, the verifier will sign the TELPAS writing collection cover sheet

• If the collection does not, the verifier will return the collection according to campus procedures. It will need to be reverified once the collection is complete. The verifier should not sign the coversheet until the collection meets the criteria.

Your contributions to this effort are greatly appreciated as we address the needs of our students!