Composition Resources

Created by Kentucky educators, the Composition in the Classroom document is designed to help Kentucky teachers and administrators gain a better understanding of the KAS for Reading and Writing’s Composition strand. This resource takes an in-depth look at each of the three modes of writing, the three types of writing, and authentic audiences, forms and purposes. Each section on the three modes of writing contains examples of potential instructional resources which could be used in elementary and secondary classrooms.

Writing Across Disciplines is an expansion of Composition in the Classroom, a resource developed by reading and writing teachers to help Kentucky educators provide students with opportunities to develop into confident, independent and proficient writers. Composition in the Classroom and its expansions support teachers implementing existing High-Quality Instructional Resources (HQIRs) adopted by school districts as well as educators teaching in districts that have not yet adopted a primary HQIR in reading and writing. The tips, suggestions and tasks in Composition in the Classroom and its expansions should not replace adopted HQIR but should serve to supplement instruction towards the full depth and rigor of the Kentucky Academic Standards. For more information regarding high-quality literacy curricula, districts and school leaders may access The Reading and Writing Instructional Resources Consumer Guide, a tool for evaluating and selecting instructional resources for alignment to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing.

KAS Composition Rubrics provide grade level scoring elements and standards-based descriptive criteria which can be used throughout the instructional process. These composition rubrics may be used by teachers for formative or summative assessment and by students for self or peer revision. By providing grade-level markers of student progress, these rubrics can also be used throughout the year by teachers and students to monitor growth and progress on grade level composition standards.

KAS Conferencing Guides provide teachers and students with a tool that can be used to discuss student compositions throughout the writing process.  These guides may be used for self, peer or teacher feedback.  Although the guides do provide descriptors for each of the Composition Elements, students and teachers may choose to isolate one or two elements for more focused discussions throughout the formative assessment and revision process.