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Posted to ACW-L, WCenter, NCTE-Talk,
and TEACH on 2/2/99.
I'm developing some curriculum resources to
help prepare students for high school exit exams, most specifically
for the Texas standardized exams (TAAS and English II End of Course).
In my research, I'm seeing that the essay questions on exit exams are
fairly similar, regardless of the state. They won't work for every
school district, of course; but they seem close to what I'm seeing in
example tests.
I've divided my prompts into these categories:
persuasive-descriptive, persuasive-classification, how to,
classification, and description. (If I'm missing a category covered
on the exams in your area, please let me know). I'll post some of the
other categories later this year.
Using the Prompts
To use one of the prompts with your student, add appropriate
instructions for the writing task, following the pattern and language
that is used on standardized tests in your state. The specific
language of these standardized tests is usually copyrighted, so I
can't post precise language for any state. I'd suggest something like
the following:
Write a paper (or letter) that explains your
position on the given topic. Provide reasons that elaborate your
ideas and support your position convincingly. Your answer
should:
- include adequate support for your
position
- use a clear organizational structure,
including transitions, an introduction and a
conclusion
- use effective and appropriate
diction
- express ideas smoothly and
fluently
Customizing the Questions
You can modify the questions by changing the audience. I've generally
focused the writer's attention on writing a letter to the editor of a
local community newspaper or the school paper. You can modify the
assignment by asking students to write a letter to the principal, to
a teacher, to the school board, to the governor, to a state senator
(or similar politician), to the city board, to their classmates, to
the PTA president (or other officers), and so on. College students
might write to students attending the high school that they graduated
from.
- [School Uniforms] There has
been a problem in local schools with discipline and violence. Your
school board has decided to institute a school uniform policy in
order to cut down on these problems, based on the positive
examples that they have seen at other schools. What is your
position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local
newspaper stating your position on this issue and supporting it
with convincing reasons.
- [Locker Searches/Personal
Searches] The principal at your school has instituted
random locker and backpack/bookbag searches to check for guns,
knives, and other weapons. Anyone caught with these weapons will
be immediately suspended. The principal argues that the random
searches will not only guard against illegal weapons at school but
will also will help students feel safer. What is your position on
this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
stating your position and supporting it with convincing
reasons.
- [Too Much Homework] Some of
the parents at your school have started a campaign to limit the
homework that teachers can assign to students. Teachers at your
school have argued that the homework is necessary. What is your
position? Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
stating your position and supporting it with convincing
reasons.
- [Censorship] Your local public library has come
under criticism for allowing patrons under the age of 18 to check
out books that are unacceptable. The books are either explicit,
describe graphic violence, or use questionable language. Most
recently, a high school senior checked out James Joyce's Ulysses.
The student's parents did not approve of the student reading the
book and complained to the town council. As a result, the council
is considering removing all questionable books from the library.
What is your position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor
of your local newspaper stating your position and supporting it
with convincing reasons.
- [Litter] A litter problem has developed on your school's
campus. Students are throwing trash on the ground, leaving empty
soda cans and bottles outside on benches, and dropping napkins
and other trash on the cafeteria floor rather than carrying them
to the trash can. Your principal has asked students to take more
care, but the litter problem persists. The principal has reacted
by canceling all after-school activities until the problem is
taken care of. What is your position on this issue? Write a letter
to the editor of your local newspaper stating your position and
supporting it with convincing reasons.
- [New Highway Exit] The state has created a plan to add a
second highway exit to help shoppers access a busy shopping mall.
The only problem is that the new exit will move the access road
500 yards closer to a near-by elementary school. Teachers and
parents at the school complain that moving the road closer will
increase noise at the school and provide unnecessary distractions.
The state planners have included privacy fences to help cut down
on the problems, but the protesters are unsatisfied. What is your
position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local
newspaper stating your position and supporting it with convincing
reasons.
- [Computers in the Classroom]
As part of a new technology initiative, your local school
district is increasing the number of computers in every school.
The district plan provides for two computers in every classroom.
Teachers at your school are lobbying instead to place all the
computers together, creating two computer-based classrooms so that
all students in a class can work at the computers together, rather
than only one or two students at a time. The district is worried
about the additional cost of creating and maintaining these
special classrooms and is concerned about how access to the
classrooms can be provided fairly and efficiently. What is your
position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local
newspaper stating your point of view and supporting it with
convincing reasons.
- [Bilingual Education] As part of a proposed educational
initiative in your state, local school districts are responsible
for providing required courses in both English language and Spanish
language in order to increase the success of their programs. Because
your state has a large population of Spanish speakers, the state
education department believes that teaching these students in
their first language will help them learn better and more quickly.
Because of the limited budget, however, the local school board
is concerned that they may not be able to provide the additional
teachers or training needed for this program. They fear that they
will lose state funding and accreditation even though 90% of the
district's students pass their achievement tests on the first
try. What is your position on this issue? Write a letter to the
editor of your local newspaper stating your point of view and
supporting it with convincing reasons.
- [Grade Scale Change] One of
the biology teachers at your school has decided to change from a
ten-point grade scale (100 to 90 is an A, 89 to 80 is a B, etc.)
to a seven-point grade scale (100 to 93 is an A, 92 to 85 is a B,
etc.). The teacher is trying to encourage students to put more
effort into their classes by raising the requirements. What is
your position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper stating your position and supporting it with
convincing reasons.
- [Online Schools] The state
department of education has provided funding for an experimental
online school. All the classes will take place on the Internet,
using email, online chat, and the world wide web. The students
taking classes at this new online school will never meet each
other face-to-face. They will only interact online with each other
and with their teachers. The state is hoping this program will
provide fairer educational access to students in outlying, rural
areas. Opponents of the program argue that because of their lack
of interaction with other students in a traditional classroom, the
students who attend this online school will not develop the social
skills that should be a component of their education. What is your
position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local
newspaper stating your position on this issue and supporting it
with convincing reasons.
Originally Posted February 8, 1999 on
the Daedalus Website.
Posted Sunday, 12-Jun-2005 09:09:19 PDT
Copyright © 1998-2011 Traci Gardner, P. O. Box 11836, Blacksburg, VA 24060-1836.
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