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national assessment of educational progress
The most comprehensive public assessment of student writing progress is the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP findings from the 1992 and 1998 assessments of writing indicate certain instructional practices and classroom activities that improve achievement:
- Writers take time to plan their writing.
- They use some form of outline before drafting.
- They define the purpose and audience for their writing.
- Writers use resources other than the textbook.
- They write more than one draft.
- They talk with their teachers about their writing before it becomes a final draft.
- Teachers require that students keep their work in a portfolio.
- Writers regularly engage in writing process instructional activities.
- Teachers always ask writers to write multiple drafts.
- Writers use prewriting activities