Preparing writing teachers to use assessment rubrics

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative study that was derived from a course on teaching L2 writing
at a U.S. institution and analysis of participants’ experience designing and utilizing assessment rubrics.
Primarily relying on narrative accounts, it aimed to demonstrate how an explicit approach to teaching
issues in assessment, particularly the use of rubrics to assess student writing, can be incorporated into
pedagogy courses on teaching writing. Data sources included participants’ rubrics developed for
various L2 writing contexts, including first-year composition, EFL reading-writing courses, and
U.S. schools teaching Grades K–4. Participants’ written reflections on rubric design and interviews
about their rubric implementations were also examined. Results showed that explicit teaching about
the use of rubrics as assessment tools could prepare writing teachers to use rubrics more effectively.
The article concludes with recommendations for improving and reevaluating how the use of rubrics as
writing assessment tools can be integrated into teacher education and teacher training programs so
that teachers are better prepared in this area of instruction.