Name: ________________________

Critical Learning Standards – Writing

Assignment:

	Focus	Development/Support	Organization	Language/Conventions	INTEGRATION
CLS: 4 ACT: 6	· Shows a clear understanding of the task · Maintains a clear focus on the specific issue or position while providing a relevant context	· Development of ideas is ample, specific, and logical · Elaborates fully on ideas by evaluating the implications, complications, or counter-arguments	· Organization is clear with ideas logically sequenced · Most transitions are sophisticated and smoothly integrated into the composition · The introduction and conclusion are effective, clear, and well developed	· Shows a good command of language · Sentences are varied and word choice is varied and precise · There are few, if any, errors to distract the reader	Effective skill in responding to assignment
CLS: 3.5 ACT: 5	· Shows a clear understanding of the task · Maintains focus on the specific issue or position while providing a broad context	· Development of ideas is specific and logical · Elaborates on ideas by partially evaluating the implications, complications, or counter-arguments	· Organization, although predictable, is clear with ideas logically sequenced · Transitions may be simple and obvious · The introduction and conclusion are clear and generally well developed	· Language is competent · Sentences are somewhat varied and word choice is sometimes varied and precise · There may be a few errors, but they are rarely distracting	Competent skill in responding to assignment
CLS: 3 ACT: 4	· Shows an understanding of the task · Maintains focus on the specific issue or position throughout most of the composition while providing some context	· Development of ideas is adequate with general statements and some specific support · Elaborates on ideas by some evaluation of complexities or counter-arguments	· Organization is apparent but predictable, with some logical sequencing of ideas · Most transitions are simple and obvious · The introduction and conclusion are clear and somewhat developed	· Language is adequate, with some sentence variety and appropriate word choice · There may be some distracting errors, but they do not impede understanding	Adequate skill in responding to assignment
CLS: 2.5 ACT: 3	· Some understanding of the task · Maintains focus on the general topic, but not necessarily on the specific issue	· Development of ideas is limited or repetitious with little specific support · May acknowledge complexities or counter-arguments, but development is brief or unclear	· Organization is simple, with weaknesses in logical sequencing · Transitions, if used, are simple and obvious · The introduction and conclusion are discernable but underdeveloped	· Language is basic · Sentences show a little variety and word choice is appropriate · Errors may be distracting and may occasionally impede understanding	Some developing skill in responding to assignment
CLS: 2 ACT: 2	· Weak understanding of the task · Some focus on the general topic, but not on the specific issue	· Development of ideas is thin with general support that may be repetitious or irrelevant · Little or no recognition of complexities or counter-arguments	· Some organizational structure, with some logical grouping of ideas · Transitions, if used, may be inappropriate or misleading · The introduction and conclusion are discernable but minimal	· Sentence structure and word choice are usually simple · Errors may be frequently distracting and may sometimes impede understanding	Inconsistent or weak skill in responding to assignment
CLS: 1 ACT: 1	· Shows little or no understanding of the task · Little focus on the general topic or the specific issue	· Development of ideas is minimal · May include excessive repetition of ideas	· Little or no organizational structure or logical grouping of ideas · Transitions are rarely used · The introduction and conclusion are minimal or nonexistent	· Sentence structure and word choice are simple · Errors may be frequently distracting and may significantly impede understanding	Little or no skill in responding to assignment

Note: CLS: Critical Learning Standard scale of 1-4

ACT: ACT score (maximum of 12) is based on 2 graders’ scores of 1-6 added together

11.06.06