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Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-Answer Responses

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Title: Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-Answer Responses
Language: English
Authors: Liberty, Lisa, Conderman, Greg
Source: Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas. 2019 92(3):93-100.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2019
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Critical Thinking, Academic Achievement, Middle School Students, Common Core State Standards, Test Format, Middle School Teachers, Thinking Skills, Writing (Composition), Teacher Student Relationship, Writing Strategies, Protocol Analysis
DOI: 10.1080/00098655.2019.1601607
ISSN: 0009-8655
Abstract: Consistent with common core state standards and recent legislation such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, middle level teachers are establishing high expectations for all students. Middle level students are expected to make connections among topics, cite evidence from text, and engage in higher level thinking skills across subject areas. Often, teachers ask students to demonstrate their understanding of these skills by having them compose short-answer responses on assessments or assignments. However, students often need help understanding how to respond to such prompts. Therefore, this article provides middle level teachers with various effective methods for helping students successfully respond to higher-level short-answer written tasks.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2019
Accession Number: EJ1220000
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0137144157;clh01may.19;2019Jun26.03:02;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0137144157-1">Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-answer Responses </title> <p>Consistent with common core state standards and recent legislation such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, middle level teachers are establishing high expectations for all students. Middle level students are expected to make connections among topics, cite evidence from text, and engage in higher level thinking skills across subject areas. Often, teachers ask students to demonstrate their understanding of these skills by having them compose short-answer responses on assessments or assignments. However, students often need help understanding how to respond to such prompts. Therefore, this article provides middle level teachers with various effective methods for helping students successfully respond to higher-level short-answer written tasks.</p> <p>Keywords: Academic performance; achievement; critical thinking; middle school; writing instruction</p> <p>As middle school student Jacob prepares for his upcoming social studies quiz, he reviews reading guide questions from the current study on US Relationships with International Countries. Rather than asking numerous factual questions associated with the readings and activities, he notices that the majority of questions require him to make predictions, explain concepts in his own words, summarize events, and compare and contrast ideas. As he considers these questions, he wonders how he will respond if similar questions appear on the quiz. What will he write? How many sentences should he write? What do the terms compare and contrast mean? As Jacob reads these questions, he realizes quizzes like this are different from ones he took in elementary school. He is not sure how to prepare for this quiz, so he closes his book and hopes for the best.</p> <p>Jacob is not alone in feeling unprepared with assessments and assignments that require a written response. Middle level teachers across the country are revising their curriculum and assessments to reflect new standards. The Common Core Standards Initiative, currently adopted by 41 states, is a coordinated effort to prepare all students in the US public school system for college or the workforce. These standards help ensure that students like Jacob are able to read at specific grades, comprehend classic and contemporary literature, write logical arguments based on reasoning and evidence, and develop research skills to compose short and longer written compositions (Common Core State Standards Initiative [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref1">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Similarly, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires public school teachers to provide quality education for all children, including students living in poverty, those representing minority groups, students with disabilities, and those with limited English language skills. Under ESSA, state officials chose the set of general education standards that they expect students to learn in each grade (Jackson and Davis [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref2">15</reflink>]). Collectively, these initiatives have transformed middle level teaching and assessment. Thus, it is essential to provide a developmentally responsive and educational experience for middle level students to ensure their academic success (NMSA [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref3">19</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0137144157-2">The current situation</hd> <p>Rather than focusing only on presenting and assessing factual knowledge, recent initiatives encourage teachers to develop purposeful activities, assignments, and assessments that challenge students to extend their thinking and provide evidence of their thinking through written responses. However, many students need considerable support planning and composing written responses due to the complex nature of writing, which involves skills such as handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, word usage, and correct text structure (Mather, Wendling, and Roberts [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref4">18</reflink>]). According to recent national assessment data, only 27% of eighth grade students perform at or above proficient on the National Assessment of Educational Progress writing assessments (US Department of Education [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref5">29</reflink>]). Further, the number of students with disabilities receiving most of their education in general education classes continues to rise (US Department of Education [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref6">28</reflink>]), and many of these students have difficulties in written language (Friend and Bursuck, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref7">10</reflink>]).</p> <p>Consequently, middle level students need support with the task of composing written responses. As middle level teachers maintain high expectations for all students, it is important that they prepare students like Jacob for increased writing demands, such as writing short-answer responses. Therefore, this article describes effective methods for middle level teachers as they prepare students to compose responses to these writing demands. Fortunately, middle level teachers can implement several effective instructional approaches for helping their students in this process.</p> <hd id="AN0137144157-3">Effective instructional approaches</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0137144157-4">Explicit vocabulary instruction</hd> <p>Before students can respond in writing to prompts, they need to understand key words in those prompts such as the words define, explain, compare and contrast, and predict. Middle level students may have limited experience with such terms. Understanding key terms is critical because student's knowledge of vocabulary is a key factor in their academic success (Conderman, Hedin, and Bresnahan [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref8">5</reflink>]). Consequently, vocabulary acquisition is an emphasis throughout the middle level common core standards (Common Core State Standards Initiative [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref9">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Researchers (e.g., Archer and Hughes [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref10">1</reflink>]; Bintz [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref11">2</reflink>]; Flanigan and Greenwood [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref12">9</reflink>]) have noted several effective ways to teach vocabulary to middle level students. Leaders from the National Reading Panel (NRP [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref13">20</reflink>]) note that multiple methods of instruction are best to provide the rich context and multiple exposures necessary for learning vocabulary. The most appropriate method depends on the students, the nature of the words, and the instructional purpose (Flanigan and Greenwood [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref14">9</reflink>]). Although middle level students learn some vocabulary incidentally, researchers agree that students benefit from explicit instruction of key vocabulary (Jitendra et al. [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref15">16</reflink>]).</p> <p>Three teacher-directed, explicit, and effective methods include vocabulary maps, graphic organizers, and the Frayer model. In each of these methods, the teacher guides students through completion of the artifact with class discussion and examples. Vocabulary maps come in various paper or electronic formats, but typically, on their map, students write the word, its definition, a sentence, and an illustration that helps them remember the word meaning. For example, for the word predict, students could include this information on their card:</p> <p>The word: Predict</p> <p>The definition: To tell beforehand</p> <p>The sentence: The weatherperson will predict tomorrow's weather.</p> <p>The illustration: A picture of a weather map or weather radar, a meteorologist, or some other weather-related symbols.</p> <p>Teachers can also use semantic maps, graphic organizers, and webs, which also come in various visual formats. For example, teachers often use a T-chart or a Venn diagram to introduce the concept of compare and contrast. For a sequence of events, teachers can use several boxes connected by arrows. The leftmost box contains the first event in a chronological sequence, and the rightmost box contains the last event (Perles [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref16">22</reflink>]). Students and teachers can also use a timeline to indicate the time that passes between and among events (Perles [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref17">22</reflink>]). Students can supplement their graphic organizers with pictures or icons, such as a scientist and question marks for the word hypothesize, a person thinking to indicate opinion, and a connected set of trains to indicate sequence (Smekens Education Solutions [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref18">25</reflink>]). These pictures serve as additional memory prompts for students.</p> <p>The Frayer model is another flexible instructional format (Taylor, Graves, and Van den Broek [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref19">27</reflink>]). Using this type of graphic organizer, students typically write the definition of the word, describe its essential characteristics, and provide examples and nonexamples of the term. Students place this information (or other teacher-selected qualities) on a chart on their paper that they divide into four sections to provide a visual representation. Figure 1 includes a Frayer model example for the word predict.</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Frayer model.</p> <p>Regardless of the specific vocabulary method or methods chosen, it is important that teachers provide student-friendly definitions of key terms and spend time discussing and reviewing new terms (Bintz [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref20">2</reflink>]). Students can help craft definitions that are most helpful to them and develop a cue card like the one shown in Table 1. Cue cards help students (a) learn academic and behavioral steps, principles, procedures, processes, and rules; (b) organize their approach to a task; (c) monitor their performance; and (d) become more independent learners (Conderman and Hedin [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref21">4</reflink>]). The cue card provides support until students have mastered the meaning of the terms.</p> <p>Table 1. Cue card with common writing prompts.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Term</td><td>Meaning</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Explain</td><td>Tell in a complete way</td></tr><tr><td>Predict</td><td>Make a good guess regarding what will happen next and tell why your guess is a good one</td></tr><tr><td>List</td><td>Briefly write several ideas or points that answer the question</td></tr><tr><td>Compare and contrast</td><td>Write what is similar and different between two or more things</td></tr><tr><td>Differentiate</td><td>Write what is different about two or more things</td></tr><tr><td>Summarize</td><td>Share the main idea(s) and one or two details</td></tr><tr><td>Paraphrase</td><td>Say or write in your own words</td></tr><tr><td>Illustrate</td><td>Provide examples</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0137144157-5">Model with think-alouds</hd> <p>Novice writers need to observe experienced writers at work in ways that help them become more effective (Gold and Gibson [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref22">12</reflink>]). Think-alouds engage learners during instruction and provide an authentic model of how to construct various written responses (Farr and Connor [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref23">7</reflink>]). Students learn the forms and functions of writing as they observe knowledgeable writers make the writing process visible using internal dialog to write a particular type of text. When teachers use think-alouds and provide students with clear and explicit instruction, students become more automatic at using writing strategies and are more able to monitor behaviors that good writers use. A teacher-led think-aloud involves a teacher thinking aloud in a conversational manner (Fisher, Frey, and Lapp [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref24">8</reflink>].) The method illustrates and scaffolds for students how to build the new knowledge and language. A think-aloud enables teachers to scaffold students' writing skills. Think-alouds are widely recommended as an effective instructional strategy (Lapp and Fisher [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref25">17</reflink>]). Below is an example of a think-aloud that Jacob's teacher could use to model how to summarize major world events in the twentieth century that have affected the world today.</p> <p>Writing prompt. During this unit, we have learned about inventions and how they were used in the wars. In at least three complete sentences, describe the use of technology during both World Wars I and II. (Three points.)</p> <hd id="AN0137144157-6">Example of a think-aloud</hd> <p>First, <emph>I am going to ask myself about different technology I learned about while reading</emph> in my history textbook. <emph>I recall two important pieces of technology that I read about were wrist watches and computers. I remember reading</emph> how women wore a wristwatch as jewelry, and men used a pocket watch. <emph>I think the most important part was</emph> that males began using a wristwatch instead of their pocket watches, so they could synchronize maneuvers and deliver supplies during trench warfare. <emph>This makes me think of</emph> how today's wristwatch is a tool to tell time and a minicomputer. <emph>Now I am going to ask myself what I know about World War II. A new piece of information that I remember reading about was</emph> innovations with computers.</p> <p>For my answer, I also need to remember what the word <emph>describe means. Let me see...my cue card indicates that describe means to tell about something. I should include several points or examples that support my main idea</emph>. OK—I think am ready to plan my response!</p> <p>During a think-aloud, teachers must use examples and nonexamples to reduce students' under or over use of a strategy (Archer and Hughes [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref26">1</reflink>]). An example provides students with questions that support thinking aloud using I-statements to jumpstart the think-aloud (e.g., what do I know about this topic?) and an appropriate response. A nonexample would include a teacher summarizing his or her thoughts without using questions that support thinking. Teachers who use language that builds understanding show students their thinking while modeling skills that students need to become successful readers and writers.</p> <hd id="AN0137144157-7">Writing strategies</hd> <p>As part of writing instruction, researchers encourage middle level teachers to teach students writing strategies. A writing strategy involves steps associated with planning, revising, and/or editing a written response (Graham and Perin [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref27">13</reflink>]). Related to short-answer responses, researchers recommend the following:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Teach students how to take the writing prompt to write their first sentence. For example, for the writing prompt: Provide three examples of flashbacks from chapter 1 of our novel, the first sentence could be: In this response, I will provide three examples of flashbacks from chapter 1 of our text. OR The authors of our text used flashbacks three times in chapter 1 of our novel, etc.</item> <p></p> <item> Remind students to do some brainstorming before they write (Graham and Perin [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref28">13</reflink>]). Spending time thinking about a response and making a list or jotting down ideas is time well spent.</item> <p></p> <item> Consider having students underline, circle, or highlight key words in the writing prompt. This helps students engage with the task requirements.</item> <p></p> <item> Teach students a writing mnemonic. The RACE acronym stands for Restate the question asked, Answer, Cite evidence from the text, and Explain and Elaborate on your answer and the evidence (Friendly [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref29">11</reflink>]). The PLAN strategy stands for Pay attention to the prompt, List main ideas, Add supporting ideas, and Number your ideas (De La Paz and Graham [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref30">6</reflink>]).</item> <p></p> <item> Provide writing models. Read and share examples of good writing and discuss features that make the writing interesting (Mather, Wendling, and Roberts [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref31">18</reflink>]). Similarly, contrast poor models with exemplary models.</item> <p></p> <item> Remind students to proof read their response. They may find editing strategies such as COPS (capitalization, overall appearance, punctuation, and spelling) helpful, even for short responses (Schumaker, Nolan, and Deshler [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref32">24</reflink>]).</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0137144157-8">Opportunities for practice</hd> <p>Teachers can provide students with numerous, varied opportunities to practice responding to writing prompts. Clearly, middle level teachers need to help students understand when and under what circumstances they should apply a particular instructional approach (Grimes [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref33">14</reflink>]). Practice activities include the following:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Bell ringers are short review activities or questions at the beginning of class. For example, Jacob's social studies teacher could use a daily bell ringer to assess formatively whether or not each student is meeting the learning goal. For example, Jacob's teacher could ask students to write a response to the critical thinking question (e.g., What is the impact of a wrist watch on technology today?). After reviewing student responses, Jacob's teacher can determine if students need further instruction.</item> <p></p> <item> Small group or partner work allows students to collaborate and practice a skill. Students can quiz each other on the meaning of writing prompt terms, practice writing responses together, and provide feedback to each other's writing prompts using a rubric or checklist.</item> <p></p> <item> Writing prompts that students develop give them practice with a section of text. Students create the prompt, exchange papers, and respond to the writing prompt they receive.</item> <p></p> <item> Exit slips are short practice activities at the conclusion of class. Like bell-ringers, exit slips provide teachers with an informal assessment of how well students have mastered the skill.</item> <p></p> <item> Homework provides opportunities for students to practice a skill independently. Students can practice writing short-answer responses as occasional homework assignments.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0137144157-9">Methods for differentiation</hd> <p>With the increase in the number of students with disabilities and from various language and cultural backgrounds receiving the majority of their instruction in general education classrooms (US Department of Education [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref34">28</reflink>]), middle level teachers need to be prepared to differentiate learning tasks (Friend and Bursuck [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref35">10</reflink>]). Teachers can differentiate writing responses in several ways. One way is with technology. Technology plays an increasingly important role in how students write in and out of the classroom. As students use word processing and other forms of electronic communication, best practices in writing instruction include integrating technology. Word processors make writing more enjoyable for most students while helping them become efficient, organized, accurate, and thoughtful about their writing (Sternberg, Kaplan, and Borck [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref36">26</reflink>]). Word processors that include grammar and spell checks reduce the motor and cognitive load children experience while writing. Some students with disabilities may have assistive technology noted as an accommodation on their Individualized Educational Program (IEP). These students may use touch screens, speech to text or text to speech programs, software for organizing ideas, word prediction software programs, or low-tech features such as pencil grippers, electronic highlighters, raised line paper, and slant boards (Peterson-Karlan, Hourcade, and Parette [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref37">23</reflink>]).</p> <p>Teachers can also use Bloom's taxonomy structure to differentiate writing tasks (Nobel [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref38">21</reflink>]). At the most basic levels, teachers can ask students to recall or recognize information and ideas. At the second level, understanding, students respond to questions by stating facts and/or identifying main ideas and details. Within the application level, students use ideas, theories, or problem-solving techniques and apply them to a writing prompt. At the analysis level, students infer or explain relationships. In evaluation, students often use criteria to support their views. Finally, in the synthesis stage, teachers provide students with opportunities to assemble parts of knowledge using creative and critical thinking. Table 2 includes an example of a writing prompt within each level of Bloom's taxonomy.</p> <p>Table 2. Differentiation using Bloom's taxonomy.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Bloom's taxonomy</td><td>Sample writing prompts</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Remembering-knowledge</td><td>What do you know about the growing hostility that developed between the United States and Japan by the early 1930s?</td></tr><tr><td>Understanding-comprehension</td><td>Elaborate whether the "southern advance" was a reasonable attempt to address Japan's international dilemma, or was it a reckless step toward war?</td></tr><tr><td>Applying-application</td><td>What examples can you share that describe why Japan chose to go to war against the United States?</td></tr><tr><td>Analyzing-analysis</td><td>How can you compare the different parts of World War I and World War II?</td></tr><tr><td>Evaluating-evaluation</td><td>What are the most important economic and social challenges faced during the war?</td></tr><tr><td>Creating-synthesis</td><td>How would you elaborate on the start of the war and reasons for United States' involvement?</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 Note. Adapted from Nobel [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref39">21</reflink>].</p> <p>Another way to differentiate instruction is to provide various instructional supports. Some struggling writers benefit from a writing template. A writing template provides writers with the beginning words of some sentences and organizational cues to write a short-answer response. When appropriate, teachers gradually remove the template so students can write the response independently. Examples of short-answer templates are provided in Table 3.</p> <p>Table 3. Examples of short answer writing templates.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Term for writing prompt</td><td>Writing template scaffold</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Sequence</td><td>First, ____________. (Tell more about this first event) Then, _____________________. (Tell more about the second event). Finally, __________. (Tell more about the last event).</td></tr><tr><td>Compare and contrast</td><td>The (two or three or include the number here) items are both similar and different. They are similar in that they ________________. (If possible, tell more). These items are different in that they___________________. (If possible, tell more).</td></tr><tr><td>Predict</td><td>I believe ______________will happen next. I think this will happen next because ___________________. My prediction is based on ________________. (name something from the reading).</td></tr><tr><td>List</td><td>Some items for this list (of name the category) include: 1. 2. 3. 4. etc.</td></tr><tr><td>Describe</td><td>In this response, I am going to tell about ________________. One interesting fact is _______________. Something else that is interesting is______________________. A third interesting fact is ________________. ____________________________.</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0137144157-10">Tips for preparing test questions</hd> <p>In addition to teaching and practicing writing responses with students, teachers can also write questions that provide clarity to students. According to Conderman, Hedin, and Bresnahan ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref40">5</reflink>]), when writing short-answer questions, include: (a) the context for learning (in what environment or situation did the learner interact with the information), (b) the suggested length of the response, (c) the writing prompt beginning with a descriptive verb, and (d) the point value. These components add clarity to the task, provide sufficient structure for learners to compose an appropriate response, and help learners associate the prompt with the learning context. Prompts should also indicate if complete sentences are required. Using these components, an example of a well-written short-answer prompt includes the following:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Context for learning: based on the video and the activities we have completed so far about the Gold Rush,</item> <p></p> <item> Suggested length: in at least five complete sentences,</item> <p></p> <item> Writing prompt: predict what will happen to California as more gold-seekers arrive in the state</item> <p></p> <item> Point value: five points</item> </ulist> <p>Teachers should also consider other tips for developing writing prompts. Additional tips include the following:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Avoid terms like discuss, consider, and reflect as these are too general and do not provide sufficient direction for students</item> <p></p> <item> Assign point values that reflect the number of items requested in the response (i.e., if students are to describe three causes, consider having the question worth three points)</item> <p></p> <item> For lengthier written responses, provide a rubric and discuss the rubric in advance with students</item> <p></p> <item> Do not include tips in other parts of the assessment or project that provide clues to the short-answer response</item> <p></p> <item> Clearly enumerate or separate multiple parts of a required response such as: In your words, (a) describe the process of photosynthesis and (b) explain one benefit plants provide to the environment</item> <p></p> <item> Avoid offering choices of questions for students to answer because students will pick different questions. Consequently, not all students will be assessed on the same outcomes or standards.</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0137144157-11">Concluding thoughts</hd> <p>Writing short-answer responses may be a new expectation for students as they enter middle school. Therefore, students benefit from instruction and practice that enables them to learn this new skill. Middle level teachers can support students by explicitly teaching writing prompt vocabulary terms, modeling with a think-aloud, teaching writing strategies, infusing meaningful learning practice activities, and differentiating instruction. They can also follow best practices when designing short-answer questions. Collectively, these components help middle level students experience success with short-answer responses and prepare them for complex future writing tasks.</p> <ref id="AN0137144157-12"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref10" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Archer, A., and C. Hughes. 2011. 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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-Answer Responses
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liberty%2C+Lisa%22">Liberty, Lisa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Conderman%2C+Greg%22">Conderman, Greg</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Clearing+House%3A+A+Journal+of+Educational+Strategies%2C+Issues+and+Ideas%22"><i>Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas</i></searchLink>. 2019 92(3):93-100.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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– Name: Pages
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  Data: 8
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  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2019
– Name: TypeDocument
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive
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  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Thinking%22">Critical Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Common+Core+State+Standards%22">Common Core State Standards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Format%22">Test Format</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Teachers%22">Middle School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thinking+Skills%22">Thinking Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+%28Composition%29%22">Writing (Composition)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Student+Relationship%22">Teacher Student Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Strategies%22">Writing Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Protocol+Analysis%22">Protocol Analysis</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1080/00098655.2019.1601607
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  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0009-8655
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Consistent with common core state standards and recent legislation such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, middle level teachers are establishing high expectations for all students. Middle level students are expected to make connections among topics, cite evidence from text, and engage in higher level thinking skills across subject areas. Often, teachers ask students to demonstrate their understanding of these skills by having them compose short-answer responses on assessments or assignments. However, students often need help understanding how to respond to such prompts. Therefore, this article provides middle level teachers with various effective methods for helping students successfully respond to higher-level short-answer written tasks.
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        Value: 10.1080/00098655.2019.1601607
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 8
        StartPage: 93
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      – SubjectFull: Critical Thinking
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Common Core State Standards
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      – SubjectFull: Test Format
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Thinking Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Student Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Writing Strategies
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      – SubjectFull: Protocol Analysis
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      – TitleFull: Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-Answer Responses
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