Preparing Middle Level Students to Compose Short-answer Responses

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.