THE WASL TEST:

1
THE WASL TEST

• WRITING

DAY 1 Wednesday, March 18 DAY 2 Thursday, March
19
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WHATS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESSFUL WRITING?

• Understand and use the steps of the writing
  process.
• Write in a variety of forms for different
  audiences and purposes.
• Write clearly and effectively.
• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of written
  work.

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WRITING PROCESS

• Understand and use the steps of the writing
  process
• YOU ARE EXPECTED TO USE THE WRITING PROCESS!
• Space given for pre-writing (i.e. web or cluster,
  list, outline, chart, etc.)
• Scratch paper provided for rough draft(s)
• Write final draft on designated pages in test
  booklet

4
EXPOSITORY

• Purpose to EXPLAIN or INFORM
• The prompt will ask you to write in one of the
  following ways
• explain
• compare/contrast
• analyze
• evaluate

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EFFECTIVE EXPOSITORY WRITING

• Narrowed topic and focus on main idea
• Well-chosen supporting details, which may include
  description, examples, anecdotes, reasons, and/or
  facts
• Logical, understandable organizational pattern
• Use of transitions to connect ideas
• Commitment to the topic (voice)
• An introduction and conclusion

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SAMPLE EXPOSITORY PROMPTS

• School is not the only place we learn. Write a
  multi-paragraph letter to a teacher in which you
  identify something you remember learning outside
  of school and explain why this has been important
  to you.

You have been asked to choose one or two items
that will show what life is like in your high
school in 2004. These objects will then be
placed in a time capsule. (A time capsule is a
container which holds objects. The capsule is
usually buried in the ground or placed in a
buildings foundation and then opened some time
in the future.) Write a multiple-paragraph
letter to your school board identifying one or
two objects to be placed in your high schools
capsule and explain why you have selected them.
If you could be any age, what would you be?
Write a multiple-paragraph essay for your reader
identifying the age you would be and explaining
why you would choose this age.
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PERSUASIVE

• Purpose to CONVINCE readers
• Depending on the focus of the prompt, you will be
  asked to at least one of the following items
• to support a point of view
• make a decision
• take an action

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EFFECTIVE PERSUASIVE WRITING

• Topic or issue clearly stated in introduction
• A clear position and stays focused on that
  position (dont be wishy-washy!)
• More than one argument to support position (shoot
  for 3!)
• Detailed reasons, examples, and evidence to
  support arguments
• Anticipation and refuting of opposing arguments

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Effective Persuasive Writing, cont.

• A clear, logical organizational strategy which
  makes the best case for the position
• Transitions to connect positions, arguments, and
  evidence
• An awareness of the audience demonstrated in the
  choice of words, details, and voice
• Persuasive language and techniques
• Ending/conclusion which calls for action

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SAMPLE PERSUASIVE PROMPTS
Many young people have strong opinions about
whether or not their communities are desirable
places for teens to live. Do you consider your
community a desirable place for teens to live?
Write a multiple-paragraph letter to parents of
teens who live in another area persuading them to
move to or avoid your community.
Some nutritionists think the snack offerings at
your school are terrible. Because of this,
parents are asking the principal to remove all
soda pop and candy machines. Take a position on
this proposal. Write a multiple-paragraph letter
to your principal to persuade him or her to agree
with your position.
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PROMPT SPECIFICATIONS

• Each prompt will clearly state a designated
• Topic
• Audience
• Purpose (mode)
• Form (i.e. letter, editorial, essay)
• Purpose Each prompt will contain an underlined
  verbexplain or inform (expository), persuade or
  convince (persuasive)which will be your cue for
  how to write.
• Example Decide on how much TV you think students
  should watch (topic) and then write an essay
  (form) to convince (persuasive mode) parents
  (audience) to follow your advice (topic).

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SCORING

• Content, Organization, and Style
• (http//www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Writing/pub
  docs/COSHS-2005.doc)
• 4 points
• maintains consistent focus on the topic and has
  ample supporting details
• has a logical organizational pattern and conveys
  a sense of completeness and wholeness
• 3 points
• maintains adequate focus on the topic and has
  adequate supporting details
• has a logical organizational pattern and conveys
  a sense of completeness and wholeness, although
  some lapses occur
• 2 points
• Demonstrates inconsistent focus on the topic and
  includes some supporting details, but may not
  include extraneous or loosely related material
• Shows an attempt at an organizational pattern,
  but exhibits little sense of completeness and
  wholeness
• 1 points
• Demonstrates little or no focus and few
  supporting details which may be inconsistent or
  interfere with the meaning of the test
• has little evidence of an organizational pattern
  or any sense of completeness and wholeness

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SCORING

• Conventions
• (http//www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Writing/pub
  docs/CONVHS-2005.doc)
• 2 points
• consistently follows the rules of standard
  English for usage
• 1 point
• generally follows the rules of standard English
  for usage
• 0 points
• mostly does not follow the rules of standard
  English for usage
• Perfection is NOT expected because it is on
  demand writingbut you should still try to write
  as cleanly as possible

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SCORING

• Each response can earn up to 6 points (4 for
  Content, Organization, and Style and 2 for
  Conventions)
• Each response is scored twice (by two different
  scorers)
• The two scores are combined to get your total
  score for each response (maximum of 12 per
  writing tasktotal of 24 possible points)
• Guaranteed point getters
• Introduction
• Conclusion
• Elaborationextend your thought by giving
  details!

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CHECKLISTS

• Each test booklet contains a checklist of writing
  guidelines specific to the type of writing
  required for that prompt
• Checklists contain suggestions about
• Context
• Organization
• Style
• Writing conventions (i.e. punctuation, usage,
  etc.)
• Checklists
• Expository
• http//www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Writing/pubd
  ocs/HSExpositoryChecklist.doc
• Persuasive
• http//www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/Writing/pubd
  ocs/HSPersuasiveChecklist.doc

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OTHER INFORMATION

• There is no time limit, although the test must be
  completed in one day.
• You are allowed to use the following
• 2 pencil
• Scratch paper
• Commercially-published dictionary and/or
  thesaurus in print form

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WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?

• Washington State Office of Superintendent of
  Public InstructionWriting Information
• http//www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/WritingAsses
  sment.aspx
• To view instructional materials used in WASL
  Writing classes, check out the Modules for High
  School Persuasive Writing, Introductions and
  Conclusions, and Elaboration, as well as the High
  School Four-Week Course at http//www.k12.wa.us/as
  sessment/WASL/writing/writingmodules.aspx
• To see sample prompts, read real student essays,
  and find out how they were scored, go to
• http//www.k12.wa.us/curriculuminstruct/writing/a
  nnotations/10gradAnnotations.aspx
• Can view sample essays and comments for the
  Expository Prompt by score for content/organizatio
  n/style
• Can view sample essays and comments for the
  Expository Prompt by score for content/organizatio
  n/style
• Can view sample essays and comments by score for
  conventions