Study Guide

Field 022: Russian
Sample Written Expression Assignment

The following materials contain:

Test Directions for the Written Expression Assignment

[Note to examinee: These test directions are provided here to familiarize you with the directions you will see on the actual test. They may refer to features whose functionality is not enabled in this study guide.]

This section of the test consists of a written expression assignment. You should use your time to plan, write, review, and edit your response to the assignment.

Your response must be written in the target language. Read the assignment carefully before you begin to write. Think about how you will organize your response. You may use the erasable notebooklet to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your response. However, your final response must be written on the response sheets provided (two response sheets). Please label your response sheets with the appropriate assignment (e.g., "Written Comprehension"). Your response sheets must be scanned using the scanner provided at your workstation.

Instructions for scanning your response sheets are available by clicking the "Scanning Help" button at the top of the screen.

A list of suggestions is provided to help direct your response to the assignment. It is not necessary that you cover every point on the list, nor are you limited in your response to those points indicated. You are, however, required to write about the general assignment which you are given, and part of your score for the assignment will be based on the degree to which you elaborate on the assignment by addressing either the suggested points or points of your choosing.

Your response to the written expression assignment will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

PURPOSE:  the extent to which the objective of the assignment is achieved and the appropriateness of the response for the intended audience

COHERENCE:  organization and clarity of ideas

CONTENT:  development of ideas and relevance of supporting details

GRAMMAR:  accuracy of grammatical forms and syntax

VOCABULARY:  command of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions

MECHANICS:  accuracy of character formation and punctuation

Be sure to write about the assigned topic and use multiple paragraphs. You may not use any reference materials during the test. This should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work. Remember to review what you have written and make any changes you think will improve your response.

Any time spent responding to the assignment, including scanning the response sheet(s), is part of your testing time. Monitor your time carefully. When your testing time expires, a pop-up message will appear on-screen indicating the conclusion of your test session. Only response sheets that are scanned before you end your test or before time has expired will be scored. Any response sheet that is not scanned before testing ends will NOT be scored.

Sample Written Expression Assignment

Competency 0013
Write a well-organized passage of several paragraphs in Russian that is appropriate in style and diction for a given audience, purpose, and occasion and that communicates a message effectively through use of a range of vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and simple and complex linguistic constructions.

Imagine that you have received a letter from a friend who lives in a Russian-speaking country and who has not heard from you for almost a year. The friend asks for news of your recent activities and future plans, including your professional goals. Write a letter in Russian in which you give a brief account of your activities over the last year, tell your friend of your plans to become a language teacher, and explain why you have chosen to enter this profession. You may wish to include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Sample Strong Response to the Written Expression Assignment

Please note: The sample response provided below is for review purposes only and should not be used in a response on an operational exam. Use of the exact words and phrases presented in this sample response will result in a score of "U" (Unscorable) due to lack of original work.

graphic

Performance Characteristics for the Written Expression Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the written expression assignment.

Characteristics that guide the scoring of responses
PURPOSE the extent to which the objective of the assignment is achieved and the appropriateness of the response for the intended audience
COHERENCE organization and clarity of ideas
CONTENT development of ideas and relevance of supporting details
GRAMMAR accuracy of grammatical forms and syntax
VOCABULARY command of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions
MECHANICS accuracy of spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation

Scoring Scale for the Written Expression Assignment

Scores will be assigned to each response to the written expression assignment according to the following scoring scale.

Score Scale with description for each score point.
Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thorough application and strong command of the performance characteristics for the written assignment.
  • The response thoroughly fulfills the purpose of the written assignment and is completely appropriate for the intended audience.
  • The candidate's ideas are well organized and clearly expressed.
  • Ideas are extensively developed and well supported with relevant information.
  • The response shows a comprehensive command of syntax and grammar, containing only minor errors that do not interrupt communication.
  • Vocabulary reflects a broad command of the language and appropriate use of idiomatic expressions.
  • Spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation are mastered, with few, if any, errors.
3 The "3" response reflects a general application and command of the performance characteristics for the written assignment.
  • The response satisfactorily fulfills the purpose of the written assignment and is generally appropriate for the intended audience.
  • The candidate's ideas show some organization and are generally clear.
  • Ideas are generally developed with some elaboration and support of specific points
  • The response shows a good command of syntax and grammar, though some errors may cause minor interruptions in communication.
  • Vocabulary and idiomatic expressions are general, but do communicate a complete message.
  • There are minor errors in spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation that do not interfere with communication.
2 The "2" response reflects a partial application and limited command of the performance characteristics for the written assignment.
  • The response partially fulfills the purpose of the written assignment and may not be entirely appropriate for the intended audience.
  • The candidate's ideas show limited organization and are somewhat unclear.
  • Ideas are developed in a limited way with minimal support.
  • The response shows a limited command of syntax and grammar, containing frequent errors that partially impede communication of ideas.
  • Vocabulary is simple, lacks key words and expressions, and communicates a partial message.
  • There are some errors in spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation, which partially interfere with communication.
1 The "1" response reflects a weak application and little or no command of the performance characteristics for the written assignment.
  • The response does not fulfill the purpose of the written assignment and is inappropriate for the intended audience.
  • The candidate's ideas are unorganized and unclear.
  • Ideas are developed minimally, if at all, and lack any relevant supporting detail.
  • The response shows little command of basic elements of grammar or syntax, containing numerous and frequent errors that impede communication.
  • Vocabulary, with numerous word usage errors, does not communicate a complete message.
  • Errors in spelling, diacritical marks, and punctuation are so numerous that they impede communication.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, not written in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.