Writing can be assessed in many ways – the number of words typed, sentence length, maturity of vocabulary used, frequency of errors.
All are metrics that can be used for assessment purposes, yet we often hear how teachers spend considerable time on marking tasks which essentially amount to ‘busywork’.
That’s why Texthelp has created WriQ – the writing achievement tool, designed to motivate students to write as well as taking on the time-intensive task of assessing spelling, punctuation and grammar for educators.
A benchmark for success
Teachers and school leaders can use WriQ data to analyse student performance in writing. By tracking the data, you can identify patterns in writing performance, track and report on progress, support instructional decision making and compare achievement with national averages.
It’s also a powerful tool in helping to identify any areas of concern or where intervention may be required. WriQ is a robust benchmarking tool for fair marking and delivering comparable insights on writing level within by school, year group, or classroom level. Use it to benchmark a cohort at the beginning of the year or term and then measure progress at regular intervals throughout the year.
Student directed learning
Getting students motivated to write and to engage in writing tasks can be a tough task. WriQ puts them in the driving seat, allowing them to take control of their own writing progress. The gamification aspects of the tool make writing seem like less of a chore.
Just as a Fitbit and similar devices give people numbers as they move – be it their steps or running distance – the onscreen WriQ widget that students see makes writing fun and puts students in charge of their own learning. They can receive immediate feedback on their writing as they type, and work toward changing the number on their ‘WriQMeter’.
At a glance, each student can visualise their writing progress in real-time, as well as having instant access to positive, immediate feedback on their writing, without relying on teacher intervention.
WriQ also helps students to build a picture of their most frequently used language and how they’re writing for specific subject areas, showing them where they need to spend a little more time to improve. Becoming better at anything requires practice, and this approach will effectively ‘nudge’ students into wanting to write more whilst only ever being in competition with themselves.
Putting the data to use
WriQ is a powerful benchmarking tool, delivering comparable insights on writing level within by school, year group, or classroom level. Use it to assess students at the beginning of the year or term and then measure progress at regular intervals throughout the year.
Teachers and school leaders can use WriQ data to analyse student performance in writing. By tracking the data, you can identify patterns in writing performance, track and report on progress, support instructional decision making and compare achievement with national averages. It’s also an effective tool in helping to identify any areas of weakness or concern so that interventions can be put in place..
Click here to find out more about how you can use WriQ to transform how students achieve in writing.