End of year writing survey 28 November 2013

 (Year 8 Students, 24 responses)

I gave my students a simple questionnaire about their progress in writing this year. Here are their responses:

  1.  Has your writing improved this year?

·      Yes = 21 

·      No = 2 

·      Don’t Know = 1

     2.  How do you know this is true?

Yes

·      My marks are higher (10)

·      I am using more / better language features (4)

·      I am using improved Vocabulary (9)

·      I am using improved punctuation (8)

·      Comment specifically using the word ‘Structure’ (2)

·      Gained confidence (1)

·      Others tell me I have improved (1)

No

·      I’ve got some of the same marks at the start of the year. (2)

·      I don’t put in the capital letters and full stops.

    3.  How do you know when you have succeeded in classroom writing activities?

·      Comment about ‘Success Criteria’ (12)

·      Getting positive feedback/ comments on my writing (8)

·      Attaining a ‘level 4’ (2)

·      When it sounds great (1)

·      When I feel confident about it (1)

·      Partner checking / helping (4)

     4.  What teaching Strategies have helped you to improve in writing?

·      Provided a success criteria (9)

·      Helped us make our own goals (6)

·      Punctuation / Grammar lessons (11)

·      Giving  written feedback (5)

·      Providing exemplars (5)

·      Teaching Language Features (2)

·      Individual Conferencing (3)

·      Clear explanations / good advice (4)

      5.    How do you feel about your writing? (A selection of responses)

·      I feel very happy and proud about my writing. I have improved a lot.

·      Great.

·      My writing has improved and I am more confident.

·      I feel proud when I produce a good piece of writing.

·      I feel like I am ready for High School.

·      I feel very confident in my writing. This year writing has been fun.

·      I really like how my writing has improved.

·      I feel much better and more confident with my writing.

·      My writing has improved immensely and is much better than at the beginning of the year.

·      I feel proud about my writing.

·      My writing just gets better and better every time I write a story.

·      I didn’t like writing before and now I do.

So what does this writing survey actually tell me about my teaching practice? 

Where to from here?

Hmmmm.......