Teach Students to Self-Assess Writing with Rubrics

“But I wrote five sentences! I’m done.” Have you heard phrases like this in your classroom? Students often balk at writing assignments and resist revision. 

Other times, they may write on and on but don’t stick to the topic. When possible, teachers work with students individually to improve their writing skills, but with classes of 25 or 30 students (or more!), there isn’t enough time to do this for every assignment.

So, what can we do? One effective technique is teaching students to self-assess their writing using a rubric.

What is a Writing Rubric? 

A rubric is a standard set of expectations for a writing assignment. These are often used in high school and college courses, but we can introduce their use in elementary school as well.

Why use Writing Rubrics? 

Writing rubrics bridging the gap between teaching objectives and student outcomes.

Rubrics can:

• Provide students with clear expectations
• Help them assess writing quality
• Give students a sense of ownership over their learning
• Offer kids experience with metacognition and critical thinking
• Encourage a growth mindset as they realize that writing pieces can be improved
• Ensure that assessment is as consistent and fair as possible

You may have rubrics included in your district’s writing curriculum. If not, you can make your own or download the free self-assessment packet with two rubrics: one for early grades and one for upper elementary. You may want to develop separate rubrics for different types of writing, such as informative, persuasive, and narrative. 

What Should be Included in a Writing Rubric? 

A well-constructed writing rubric should encompass a range of criteria that holistically evaluate a student’s writing ability and process.

Assess items such as:

• Is the main idea clear?
• Is the main idea supported by details?
• Does the writing style fit the audience?
• Is the writing organized well?
• Are the grammar, spelling, and punctuation details correct?

Writing rubrics can be used before, during, and after writing assignments. Introducing the rubric before writing can give students a better understanding of the expectations of an assignment. Using a rubric alongside a writing assignment can guide kids through the process and keep them from getting stuck. 

After the writing assignment, a rubric can be used to reflect on the piece and assist with revision. Students can then use the rubric to set goals for future writing assignments. 

How to Teach Elementary Students to Use a Rubric

Here’s an activity you can do with your class to teach them how to use writing rubrics:

Gather Samples of Student Text

You may want to write your own samples that include some of the issues and errors you often see in your students’ writing. You can also find samples online or in some writing curricula. Do not use your current students’ work, which could cause embarrassment. If you have student work samples from several years ago, those could be used with the students’ names removed.

Introduce the Writing Rubric

Go over the rubric together as a class. You may not want to delve too deeply into the details because you may lose your students’ attention. But do go over the rubric overall and look at an example together. Discuss how the sample would be scored.

Break students into small groups

Give each group a sample writing piece (the same for everyone) and a copy of the rubric. Have students discuss what score they would give the sample in each assessment area. 

Compare Students’ Results

Come back together as a class and compare the results. Did different groups agree on the same scores? If not, ask the small groups how they arrived at their score for each writing element. This is a great chance for them to discuss the elements of writing and the rubric itself.

Have Students Write and Use the Rubric

Give students a writing assignment within a day or two of the previous activity. Let them know they will use the rubric to assess their writing. You should see students paying more attention to the elements on the rubric.

Possible Extension Activity

Once your students have experience with self-assessing their writing pieces, ask them to write a rubric of their own! You may be impressed with the strict criteria they come up with for assessment. 

Teaching kids to reflect on their learning is so important. Helping your students self-assess their learning will help them take ownership of their education while giving you more time (something every teacher needs!). 

Think of a rubric as a tool that your students can use to improve their writing skills and their ability to reflect on their own learning. This tool will not only improve their writing now but will also prepare them for the writing demands they will face in the future.