Writing
To enhance their skills in each writing-related strand, students who score in the 7–8 score range may benefit from activities that encourage them to do the following:
| Score Range 7–8 |
| Expressing Judgments |
- understand that issues exist within a larger context; discuss ways in which a certain issue is connected to broader questions of concern to more people
- practice identifying implications of a position: what would be the outcome if this position were adopted or enacted; who would benefit/not benefit and why
- develop an awareness of how factors may complicate a position: adopt a position on an issue, then discuss whether it is always a valid and reasonable position; consider how the position might be affected if certain factors were to change
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| Focusing on the Topic |
- revise writing to ensure that every paragraph remains focused on the issue and that no essential information is left out
- practice composing thesis statements that clearly state a position on an issue and offer a rationale for adopting that position
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| Developing a Position |
- generate a full-sentence outline or visual representation of all major ideas in an essay and the examples and details that support them
- practice drawing generalizations from specific historical, personal, or literary details
- learn to identify the most relevant examples to support an idea
- critique writing in peer workshops to identify any ideas that need further development in order to be persuasive or clear
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| Organizing Ideas |
- practice arranging sentences within a paragraph so that discussion logically builds and progresses
- identify specific transitional words and phrases, including those indicating causal relationship (e.g., as a result, this means that)
- practice writing an introduction that briefly but effectively introduces a context for the discussion as well as a thesis
- consider ways to conclude a piece of writing that will emphasize its main theme without restating the discussion or otherwise being repetitive
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| Using Language |
- understand correct usage of common homonyms (e.g., their/there, past/passed, it's/its, you're/your)
- practice using a wider vocabulary by replacing vague or general language with more precise words
- experiment with more sophisticated sentence constructions
- read model essays to see how skilled writers control pace and emphasis by varying the length of sentences
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