English SOL Online Writing
Beginning with the 2013 spring administration of grades 5, 8 and end-of-course SOL writing assessments, Virginia students will complete all direct-writing tests online. Teachers need to provide opportunities for students at all grade levels to plan, compose, revise, edit and publish writing using computers.
Writing Instruction Resources
Lesson Plans
The new English SOL Enhanced Scope and Sequence sample lesson plans are aligned with the 2010 English SOL. In preparation for the new online writing assessments, several of the writing lessons from each grade band are provided. These materials are intended as examples of ways the understandings, knowledge and skills might be presented to students in sample lessons that have been aligned with the new standards.
Graphic Organizers
(All files are PDF format)
- Clustering
- Idea Map
- Process
- Comparison / Contrast
- Order Importance
- Sensory Chart
- Connected Relationships
- Persuasive Paper Checklist
- Sequential Order
- Spatial Order
Anchor Sets with Annotations
The Short Paper Component of the English SOL test includes two results – a composing and written expression score and a usage and mechanics score – on a scale of 1 to 4 that when added together indicate a student’s final writing score. To assist teachers in determining how these two are evaluated, the following annotated examples provide explanations to support the assigned score:
- Grade 5 Anchor Sets with Annotations
- Usage and Mechanics (PDF)
- Grade 8 Anchor Sets with Annotations
- Composing and Written Expression (PDF)
- Usage and Mechanics (PDF)
- EOC Anchor Sets with Annotations
- Composing and Written Expression (PDF)
- Usage and Mechanics (PDF)
Instruction Anchor Sets
The following are samples that received a score of 2 for the composing and written expression portion of the Short Paper Component of the English SOL test. They include annotations, examples of questions and writing checklists that teachers can use to assist students in the revision and editing process, as well as color overlays that align to the Instructional Writing Checklist for teachers. Checkmarks at the beginning on a line indicates a usage and mechanics error.
- Grade 5 Instruction Anchor Set (PDF)
- Grade 8 Instruction Anchor Set (PDF)
- End of Course Instruction Anchor Set (PDF)
Understand Scoring
Understand Scoring provides educators with information about the SOL writing assessments, including the rubrics and anchor papers that illustrate each score point on the composing/written expression and usage/mechanics domains used to score the Short Paper Components of the writing tests. The application is intended to assist teachers in preparing students for the SOL writing tests.
Instruction Writing Checklists
Instruction Writing Checklists provide teachers with information to evaluate student writing. School divisions may add additional writing requirements to these documents. For K-12 grade-specific student writing expectations, teachers should consult the Curriculum Framework.
- Grade 5 Instruction Writing Checklist (Word)
- Grade 8 Instruction Writing Checklist (Word)
- End of Course Instruction Persuasive Writing Checklist (Word)
Writing Assessment Resources
Writing Prompts
Writing prompts that may be administered on the Writing SOL tests based on the 2010 English Standards of Learning:
- Grade 5 Prompts (PDF)
- Grade 8 Prompts (PDF)
- End of Course (EOC) Prompts (PDF)
Writing Test Blueprints
These test blueprints will be effective with the administration of the 2012-2013 English SOL tests.
- Grade 5 Writing (PDF)
- Grade 8 Writing (PDF)
- End of Course (EOC) Writing (PDF)
Checklist for Writers
- Grade 5 Writing (PDF)
- Grade 8 Writing (PDF)
- End-of-Course (EOC) Writing (PDF)
Writing Practice Items, Tools and Guides
Writing Practice Items and Guides provide the opportunity for students to practice multiple-choice and technology-enhanced items (TEI) that reflect the new content and increased rigor of the revised English SOL.
To prepare students fully for the online writing assessment, teachers are encouraged to use the Writing Practice Tool (PDF) with their students in order to familiarize students with the online formatting tools available in the TestNav testing platform. These formatting tools mirror those of many word processing programs.
Understand Scoring
Understand Scoring provides educators with information about the SOL writing assessments, including the rubrics and anchor papers that illustrate each score point on the composing/written expression and usage/mechanics domains used to score the Short Paper Components of the writing tests. The application is intended to assist teachers in preparing students for the SOL writing tests.
Outside Resources
- The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) writing Web page
- ReadWriteThink
– a collection of English/ Language Arts lessons plans for grades K-12
- Video workshops for teachers provide practical advice for teaching writing – from Anneberg Learner:
- Keyboarding Methodology Instructional Guide for Teachers and Administrators
(PDF) – a guide designed to help teachers instruct the proper techniques of keyboarding along with activities to improve students’ speed and accuracy
- National Writing Project – a collection of writing resources for teachers
- Alien Punctuation
– interactive activities for students in grades 1-5 to promote proper punctuation