This practical guide is designed to help English language arts teachers incorporate authentic forms of assessment into the middle and high school curriculum.

Grounded in the latest theories, Joanna Dolgin, Kim Kelly, and Sarvenaz Zelkha offer real-world examples, sample student work, step-by-step instructions, and handouts to help teachers: Incorporate independent reading and authentic assessments through lessons, handouts, and examples of student work; facilitate a schoolwide end-of-semester roundtable assessment and portfolio presentations for middle and high school students and visitors; and design twelfth-grade assessments that draw on the independent reading and critical writing experiences students have had throughout their academic careers.

The book also provides sample curriculum and highlights the assessment tools of three different teachers who have extensive experience teaching sixth through twelfth grade. Tips are offered on developing a yearlong curriculum focused on social, political, and emotional relevancy to students’ lives, as well as cultivating the skills needed to succeed on standardized tests.