Hi,
if you haven't come across them already, you may find these books
interesting:
Broad, Bob (2003). _What We Really Value: Beyond Rubrics in Teaching and
Assessing Writing. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press_. (see
http://www.usu.edu/usupress/individl/What%20We%20Really%20Value.htm).
Huot, Brian (2002). _(Re)Articulating Writing Assessment._ Logan, UT: Utah
State University Press.
(see http://www.usu.edu/usupress/individl/(Re)Articulating.htm).
Broad in particular discusses a form of qualitative inquiry to address
problems of decontextualized approaches.
Doreen
*******************************
Doreen Starke-Meyerring, Ph.D.
Centre for the Study and Teaching of Writing
McGill University
3700 Rue McTavish
Montreal, QC CANADA H3A 1Y2
Tel.: (514) 398-1308
Fax: (514) 398-4529
[log in to unmask]
http://www.mcgill.ca/edu-integrated
http://www.mcgill.ca/writing
*******************************
-----Original Message-----
From: CASLL/Inkshed [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Theresa Hyland
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2004 11:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Writing Pedagogy and Proficiency Assessment
Doug, the Ed White book that Nick referred to is: Assessment of
Writing:
Politics, Policies, Practices and it was written in 1996. Another article
that you could look at is in the TESL Canada Journal, Vol 21 No. 1 Winter
2003, entitled "Variability of ESL Learners' Acquisition of Cognitive
Academic Language
Proficiency: What Can We Learn From Achievement Measures?" by Hetty
Roessingh and Pat Kover.
However, from what I know of the literature, I don't know that you'll get
the kind of research you are asking for, mainly because of the difficulty in
researching such a position. Generally, I think that the literature either
discusses information that can be obtained from proficiency measurements, or
the flawed nature of those measurements (i.e. differences in marking because
of rater assumptions or backgrounds, differences in the competencies writers
demonstrate when faced with different writing tasks, or topics; or simply
the inadequate nature of the measurment instruments being used). A whole
other body of
literature exists talking about the recursive nature of the writing process,
its social nature... and all those other things. The one set is exploring
the pedagogy of writing and the other is exploring the measurement of
writing....
perhaps this is because these are two completely different sets of questions
that are being explored. Perhaps some useful questions for you to ask
around this issue might be: Can assessment serve a pedagogical purpose in
writing instruction? What would be the nature of that pedagogical purpose
and what are the assumptions behind writing proficiency assessments that
make them seem to be the best way to achieve these pedagogical goals?
I wish I were coming to the CCC's Conference, but this year I'm writing up
my thesis (finally) ----on how students use a reading in a writing
proficiency assessment! Perhaps we can talk more about the issues involved
on-line, or agree to talk at next year's CCC's. Theresa Hyland.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
[log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
For the list archives and information about the organization,
its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
[log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
For the list archives and information about the organization,
its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
