Grades 4–6 Level 4 Writing Assessment Exemplar

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Look at the pictures. Write a story.
Student Example

Student writing assessment exemplar:

It was is Wednesday. Like every other day I find it so hard to wake
up this morning. My mom shakes me and shakes me and starts the
shower for me. This morning as I’m showering I think about the
homework I did last night. I remember that I saved a file to my computer but I have to email it to my teacher. I hop out of the shower, boot up the computer (Why is it taking so long?) and open it and then I email my homework to the teacher. Yikes! Now I’m running late. I gulped down my orange juice, grab my backpack and run out the door. I see my neighbor who takes the bus too and we both run for the corner where the bus is waiting. I hear Bogdan’s dad yelling “Good-bye” to Bogdan. Oh no! The bus is driving away! All I thought about was how to explain this morning to my teacher.

 

Level 4: Uses more low-frequency subject-specific words (homework, file, computer, email, backpack), descriptive words (shakes, gulped, yelling), academic words (explain), words with multiple meanings (saved), idioms (running late), and figurative language (bus is waiting)

Level 4: Uses a variety of compound sentences (I hop out of the shower, boot up the computer (Why is it taking so long?) and open it and then I email my homework to the teacher.) Attempts complex sentences (This morning as I’m showering I think about the homework I did last night.)

Level 4: Uses more low-frequency connector and transition words and phrases to express an opinion (I find), emphasize (like, so, yikes, now), show cause and effect (then, all I thought), and express a condition (but)

Use the checkboxes below to display the corresponding Benchmarks 2.0 indicators.

 
 4
 
 4
 
 4
Writing Benchmark Level
4

Next Steps

Once a student consistently demonstrates most Benchmarks 2.0 indicators at the advanced level for their grade across strands (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and competencies (vocabulary, sentence structure, and connections and transitions) in a variety of subjects, they may no longer require English language development supports and instruction to achieve grade-level English proficiency.


How to Use This Writing Assessment Exemplar

This collection of writing assessment exemplars provides teachers of English as an additional language (EAL) learners with examples of student writing at each English proficiency level and grade range.

Teachers can use these interactive exemplars to build their understanding of Benchmarks 2.0 competencies (vocabulary, sentence structure, and connections and transitions) and proficiency levels in writing.

  1. Click on “View full size” to see the original student writing.
  2. Select the competency you wish to view. Boxes in the corresponding colour will highlight the text in the exemplar and display an explanation of the competency below.
  3. Click on one or more competencies to view at a time.
  4. Review “Next Steps” for examples of how to use the Benchmarks 2.0 writing assessment to inform programming and instruction in all subject areas.

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