Effect of writing portfolio instruction on mean writing scores for fifth-grade students in a Team Approach to Mastery (TAM) classroom

This study examined the effectiveness of a program for improving students' writing skills by using writing portfolios. Limited research exists on the effectiveness of writing portfolios. Most research has assessed the impact of writing portfolios in combination with other variables, which makes it difficult to ascertain which factor or factors caused an increase in student writing skills.; The targeted population consisted of 32 fifth graders in a rural school district in southern Delaware. Writing deficiencies were identified through previous testing scores, teacher observations, and student work. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students had not had the opportunity to reflect on their writing in a meaningful way. A review of solution strategies, combined with an analysis of the problem setting, resulted in implementation of a writing portfolio program. During a nine-week period in the 1999--2000 school year, students in the treatment group evaluated and reflected on writing pieces, selected best pieces, and compiled writing portfolios while using process writing. The non-treatment group was comprised of students in the researcher's class during the previous school year. Students in the non-treatment group used process writing, but did not assemble writing portfolios. To measure the impact of writing portfolios on student writing scores, students' third-grade writing scores for the Delaware State Testing Program (DPST) were used as a pretest measure for each group. Students' fifth-grade writing scores on the DSTP served as the posttest. After analyzing the data, no significant difference between the means was found. It appears that there are no differences in the writing skills of students who used writing portfolios in conjunction with process writing and students who use process writing alone.