Pre-Programme Writing Assessment Tasks, Suggested Answers and Scoring Rubric

Appendix 1

Pre-programme Writing Assessment Tasks, Suggested Answers and Scoring Rubric

______

Gifted Education Section, CDI, EDB

English Pull-out Gifted Programme--Young Playwrights’ Theatre

Pre-programme Writing Assessment Tasks (Student’s Copy)

Target levels: P5 to P6

Name: ______

Class: P. ______

Date: ______

Record:

Total of Part 1:______/46

Total of Question 1 of Part 3: ______/12

Total of Question 2 of Part 3: ______/16

Part 1: Reading and Writing (40 minutes)

Part 2: Questionnaire (10 minutes)

Part 3: Reading Aloud—Reading Accuracy, Comprehension and Fluency (7-9 minutes)

Introduction

This pre-programme assessment offers six questions and a questionnaire for P5 to P6 higher ability learners of English or between the ages of nine and 12. The assessment includes three parts: Reading and Writing, Questionnaire, and Reading Aloud.

Students are required to answer all the questions of Parts 1 and 2 in the Question-and-Answer Book provided. Each part starts with a clear example.

Page 1 of 9

Part 1: Reading and Writing (4 questions)

1. Read the story about JOHN carefully. Retell the story with dialogue between JOHN and his friend, TOM. There is one example. (20 marks)

Those were the days
I was brought up in a small town in the countryside. It was lots of fun growing up in the countryside. We often got into trouble when we made up stories that we acted out around town. I can remember one adventure in particular: One day when we were coming back from school, we came up with the brilliant idea to make out that we were pirates looking for treasure. My best friend Tom said that he made out an enemy ship in the distance. We all ran for cover and picked up a number of rocks to use for ammunition against the ship as we got ready to take action. We were ready to set off our attack. We slowly went along the path until we were face to face with our enemy—the postman’s truck! While the postman was dropping off a package at Mrs. Brown’s house, we got into his truck. At that point, we really didn’t have any idea about what we were going to do next. All of a sudden, the postman came running towards us shouting, ‘What are you kids up to?’ We all rushed out the truck and took off down the road.
______
Source of the text:

Page 2 of 9

Retell the paragraph in dialogue. You may use the example, or start it in any way you like.

Example:

JOHN: Hey TOM. Long time no see. How are you?

TOM: Hello JOHN. I’m fine, thanks. The daffodils in your garden still look as nice as they were ten years ago. I still remember…

Write here.

Marks of Question 1 (Part 1): ______/20

Page 3 of 9

2. Read the act below. Underline the words that describe how the people look, feel, and talk. There is one example: ‘Puzzled’. (10 marks)

Once Upon a Fairy Tale

Part of Scene 2

Characters

AGNES
MATILDA
BLANCHE / fairy tale witches
OFFICER MALONEY / police officer
MALONEY: / Hey, you three in the Halloween costumes!
MATILDA: / (Puzzled) Is that man talking to us? (Witches look around.)
…
MALONEY: / (Exasperated) …. I don’t want to see you still here when I get back. (Starts to exit)

Marks of Question 2 (Part 1): ______/10

Source of the text:

Hamlett, C. (1998). Lively Plays for Young Actors. Library of Congress, 45-46.

Page 4 of 9

3. This is the beginning of a comic strip of “Once Upon a Fairy Tale.” Draw and continue the comic to recreate the scene you read on P. 4. Add some speech bubbles and an ending to it. If you need some more paper, ask the teacher. There is one example. (9 marks)

Page 5 of 9

Marks of Question 3 (Part 1): ______/9

4. Read the sentences. Choose the correct words and write them on the lines. There is one example. (7 marks)

Setting / Climax / Characters / Focus
Gesture / Conflicts / Actors / Ending

1. The time and place of a story or a play.

/ 1. Setting (e.g.)

1. All the people (the audience) look at it / him / her at one time in a play.

/ 2.

1. We watch the people act in a play. They are…

/ 3.

1. The people of a story.

/ 4.

1. If you put these in a story / play, the people will argue and have a difficult time until the problems are solved.

/ 5.

1. The last part of a story/play.

/ 6.

1. Readers love this part of a story / play best.

/ 7.
8. If you make this, you use facial expressions, parts of the body to tell what you think and feel. / 8.

Marks of Question 4 (Part 1): ______/7

End of Part 1

Page 6 of 9

1

Part 2: Questionnaire

1. What is the title of your favourite book?

2. Why do you like it?
3. Do you have any favourite author? Who is he/she?

1. You have read a short story on P. 2 and an act on P. 4. Which one do you prefer? Why?

End of Part 2

Page 7 of 9

1

Part 3: Reading Aloud—Reading Accuracy, Comprehension and Fluency

(2 questions)

There are two sessions in this part.

In the first session, you are going to read aloud a story to your teacher in one and a half minute. In the second session, you are STUDENT , you are going to read a dialogue with your teacher and two other groupmates.

You now have 10 minutes to prepare.

1. Read the story silently. Then read it aloud to the teacher.

Those were the days
I was brought up in a small town in the countryside. It was lots of fun growing up in the countryside. We often got into trouble when we made up stories that we acted out around town. I can remember one adventure in particular: One day when we were coming back from school, we came up with the brilliant idea to make out that we were pirates looking for treasure. My best friend Tom said that he made out an enemy ship in the distance. We all ran for cover and picked up a number of rocks to use for ammunition against the ship as we got ready to take action. We were ready to set off our attack. We slowly went along the path until we were face to face with our enemy—the postman’s truck! While the postman was dropping off a package at Mrs. Brown’s house, we got into his truck. At that point, we really didn’t have any idea about what we were going to do next. All of a sudden, the postman came running towards us shouting, ‘What are you kids up to?’ We all rushed out the truck and took off down the road.
______
Source of the text:

Page 8 of 9

1. You are STUDENT .Read the act silently. Follow the teacher’s instructions. Read it aloud with the teacher and other two classmates.

Characters

AGNES
MATILDA
BLANCHE / fairy tale witches
OFFICER MALONEY / police officer
Teacher / MALONEY: / (Stands in a corner, looking at three people in the street opposite, whispers) What are those people doing up there? Look, they dress like witches. How strange! (Watching)
Student A / MATILDA: / Where are we supposed to stay?
Student B / BLANCHE: / (Blandly) In the nearest castle, of course. When we find one, that is.
Student C / AGNES: / Let’s look for one after lunch. I’m hungry.
…
Teacher / MALONEY: / (Exasperated) …. I don’t want to see you still here when I get back. (Starts to exit)
Student B / BLANCHE: / …
Student C / AGNES: / …
Student A / MATILDA: / …
Source of the text:
Hamlett, C. (1998). Lively Plays for Young Actors. Library of Congress, 45-46.

End of Part 3

Page 9 of 9

______

1

Gifted Education Section, CDI, EDB

English Pull-out Gifted Programme--Young Playwrights’ Theatre

Pre-programme Writing Assessment Tasks (Teacher’s Copy)

Target levels: P5 to P6

Name: ______

Class: P. ______

Date: ______

Record:

Total of Part 1:______/46

Total of Question 1 of Part 3: ______/12

Total of Question 2 of Part 3: ______/16

Part 1: Reading and Writing (40 minutes)

Part 2: Questionnaire (10 minutes)

Part 3: Reading Aloud—Reading Accuracy, Comprehension and Fluency (7-9 minutes)

Introduction

This pre-programme assessment offers six questions and a questionnaire for P5 to P6 higher ability learners of English or between the ages of nine and 12. The assessment includes three parts: Reading and Writing, Questionnaire, and Reading Aloud.

Students are required to answer all the questions of Parts 1 and 2 in the Question-and-Answer Book provided. Each part starts with a clear example.

Reminder: Bring along a number of timers for Parts 1 and 3. Prepare supplementary paper for students, where necessary.

Part 1: Reading and Writing (4 questions)

1. Read the story about JOHN carefully. Retell the story with dialogue between JOHN and his friend, TOM. There is one example. (20 marks)

Scoring Scale for Question 1 of Part 1

Score/Level
Criteria / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Originality
(Sub-total:4) / Is anchored to the central theme;
Quality details;
Writing from sensible imagination. / Clear theme;
Relevant and sensible details;
Writing from knowledge or experience;
Unique ideas. / Touches on the theme;
Limited development of ideas;
Draws on little knowledge or experience and the quotation seems irrelevant to the theme. / Off the theme;
Little development of ideas.
Plot
(Sub-total:4) / An introduction that draws the reader in, and a sound, responding conclusion;
Thoughtful transition. / An introduction and a complete conclusion;
Smooth transition. / The introduction and the conclusion are too brief;
Details in a fine order in the beginning but seem to lose some control in the middle and the end. / No functional introduction or conclusion;
Confusing connections between ideas.
Expression
(Sub-total:4) / Specific and accurate;
Precise, interesting and spontaneous. / Accurate and spontaneous;
Some interesting choice of words. / Functional but rather plain;
Familiar words and phrases;
Communicate correctly but hardly calls for readers’ imagination. / A limited vocabulary;
Incorrect word choice that distorts the meaning.
Language
(Sub-total:4) / A good grasp of writing conventions (e.g., spelling, punctuation, capitalisation, grammar and usage;
Well-built sentences. / A generally good grasp of writing conventions despite some inconsistencies;
Finely-built sentences. / A limited range of standard writing conventions;
Steady sentences, but sometimes choppy. / Errors in writing conventions.
Format
(Sub-total:4) / Well-informed format (e.g., stage directions for gestures, names in block letters, colon). / Generally in the format of a play script. / Attempts to fit in the format but not quite work well. / Fails to fulfill the task requirement.

Total: 20

1

2. Read the act below. Underline the words that describe how the people look, feel, and talk. There is one example: ‘Puzzled’. (10 marks)

Once Upon a Fairy Tale

Part of Scene 2

Characters

AGNES
MATILDA
BLANCHE / fairy tale witches
OFFICER MALONEY / police officer
MALONEY: / Hey, you three in the Halloween costumes!
MATILDA: / ... (Witcheslook around.)
AGNES: / … (MALONEY clears throat and folds arms.)
MATILDA: / (Pleasantly) ...
MALONEY: / ... (Points)
…
MALONEY: / (Annoyed)
…
MALONEY: / (Irritated) …
AGNES: / (Laughing) …
MALONEY: / (Sarcastically)...
MATILDA: / (Proudly) …
…
MALONEY: / (Exasperated) …

Total: 10

3. This is the beginning of a comic strip of ‘Once Upon a Fairy Tale.’ Draw and continue the comic to recreate the scene you read on P.4. Add some speech bubbles and an ending to it. If you need some more paper, ask the teacher. There is one example. (9 marks)

Scoring Scale for Question 3 of Part 1

Score/Level
Criteria / 3 / 2 / 1
Originality
(Sub-total: 3) / Clear theme;
Relevant, sensible idea;
Develops ideas from more advanced knowledge or experience than the student’s age group, and humorous/ constructive imagination;
Unique ideas. / Touches on the theme;
Attempts to develop ideas;
Draws on some knowledge or experience and the quotation generally suits the theme. / Off the theme;
Little development of ideas.
Plot
(Sub-total: 3) / Thoughtful transition;
A complete conclusion. / Smooth transition;
A sudden conclusion. / An abrupt ending;
Confusing connections between ideas.
Expression
(Sub-total: 3) / Specific and accurate;
Precise, interesting and spontaneous. / Functional but rather plain;
Familiar words and phrases;
Communicate correctly but hardly calls for readers’ imagination;
Attempts to use a variety of words or phrases. / A limited vocabulary;
Incorrect word choice that distorts the meaning.

Total: 9

4. Read the sentences. Choose the correct words and write them on the lines. There is one example. (7 marks)

Setting / Climax / Characters / Focus
Gesture / Conflicts / Actors / Ending
Setting
Gesture
Conflicts
Actors / Climax / Ending
Characters
Focus

1. The time and place of a story or a play.

/ Setting (e.g.)

1. All the people (the audience) look at it / him / her at one time in a play.

/ Focus

1. We watch the people act in a play. They are…

/ Actors

1. The people of a story.

/ Characters

1. If you put these in a story / play, the people will argue and have a difficult time until the problems are solved.

/ Conflicts

1. The last part of a story/play.

/ Ending

1. Readers love this part of a story/play best.

/ Climax
8. If you make this, you use facial expressions, parts of the body to tell what you think and feel. / Gesture

Total: 7

End of Part 1

1

Part 3: 1. Reading Aloud—Reading Accuracy, Comprehension and Fluency

(2 questions)

Reminder: Use separate score-sheets for each student.

Suggested Key:

Those were the days
I was brought up / in a small town / in the countryside. It was lots of fun / growing up in the countryside. We often got into trouble / when we made up stories / that we acted out around town. I can remember / one adventure inparticular: / One day / when we were coming back from school, / we came up with the brilliantidea to make out / that we were pirates / looking for treasure. My best friend Tom /said that / he madeout an enemy ship in the distance. We all ran for cover / and picked up / a number of rocks to use / forammunition against the ship / as we got ready / to take action. We were ready / to set off our attack. We slowly / went along the path / until we were face to face with our enemy / – the postman’s truck! While the postman / was dropping off a package at Mrs. Brown’s house, we got into his truck. / At that point, / we really didn’t have any idea about / what we were going to do next. All of a sudden, / the postman / came running towards us shouting, / ‘What are you kids up to?’ / We all rushed out the truck / and took off down the road.
Remarks:

1. The strokes (/) show where the meaningful chunks lie and varied length of pauses are expected, given the naturalness.
2. The end consonants and the initial vowels in colour indicate the linking of sounds which the students are to demonstrate as they read the text fluently.
3. Refer to the scoring scale on P. 167 to the assess students’ performance in this part.

1

Scoring Scale for Question 1 of Part 3

Score/Level
Criteria / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Phrasing
(Sub-total:4) / Effective splitting sentences in meaningful chunks to convey the message;
Natural pauses of varied sensible length to suit the meaning. / Generally a good grasp of phrasing in reading;
Some inappropriate pauses. / Either too frequent pauses that damage the fluency, or too few, leading to misunderstanding in meaning. / Little correct phrasing (meaningless chunks).
Syntactic Awareness
(Sub-total:4) / Precise use of intonation and tone to read varied sentences. / Appropriate use of intonation and tone to read common phrases and sentences. / Fair use of intonation and tone to read phrases, and short familiar phrases;
Lose control in reading complex, familiar sentences. / Flat intonation and monotone.
Expressiveness
(Sub-total:4) / Uses volume, facial expressions gestures to enhance the meaning;
Delivers the message in a lively, enthusiastic manner. / Volume suits the meaning with some facial expressions and/or gestures;
Easy-to-follow delivery. / Too loud or too weak voice, but still audible;
Little facial expressions or gestures;
Lack of interest in getting into the reading. / Not ready to read aloud;
Hardly audible.

Total: 12

2. You are STUDENT .Read the act silently. Follow the teacher’s instructions. Read it aloud with the teacher and other two classmates.

Reminders:

1. For this part, put the students in groups of three.
2. Read the act with the groups, playing the role of Maloney. Assign each student to one role randomly.
3. Arrange the group to sit in a corner, read the script, prepare for their reading and create lines for their role in the end. Tell them that they are allowed to talk about the pronunciation of the words. Note-taking is also permitted where necessary. The preparation lasts 10 minutes.
4. Assess the students’ performance on separate score sheets against the following scoring scale.

Scoring Scale for Question 2 of Part 3

Score/Level
Criteria / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Conversational techniques
(Sub-total:4) / Considers the reading as an individual task without much interaction with members;
Loses control in pace. / Too slow or too fast pace;
Mechanical reading but can perform the task with the group. / Generally good pace;
Some inappropriate pauses;
Sometimes hesitant. / Effective pace to convey the meaning accurately;
Read with a good sense of hearer and speaker.
Syntactic Awareness
(Sub-total:4) / Flat intonation and monotone. / Fair use of intonation and tone to read phrases, and short familiar phrases;
Lose control in reading complex, unfamiliar sentences. / Appropriate use of intonation and tone to read common phrases and sentences. / Precise use of intonation and tone to read varied sentences.
Expressiveness
(Sub-total:4) / Not ready to read aloud;
Hardly audible. / Too loud or too weak voice, but still audible;
Little facial expressions or gestures;
Lack of interest in getting into the reading. / Volume suits the meaning with some facial expressions and/or gestures;
Easy-to-follow delivery. / Uses volume, facial expressions gestures to enhance the meaning;
Delivers the message in a lively, enthusiastic manner.
Improvisation
(Sub-total:4) / Stays silent in the end;
Not ready to improvise/fails to comprehend the task requirement. / Attempts to improvise, but not much because of the limited ideas and/or vocabulary. / Improvises appropriately to achieve the purpose of the assigned role. / Improvises constructively/
humorously/with elaboration to lead the act to a complete closure.

Total: 16