Curriculum and Professional Development FAQs
Can the PDFs of the PowerPoints be converted into slide decks or PowerPoints?
Due to copyright requirements, the PDFs cannot be turned into editable slide decks or PowerPoints. However, teachers can download the PowerPoints to their computers. The PDF files can then be opened with a PDF viewer and advanced with a clicker. This ...
Do you offer professional development?
Yes! We offer a variety of professional development sessions. We recommend beginning with our full curriculum training. This is a three-hour workshop where participants leave able to: ● Teach the critical foundational writing skills that all young ...
How do I grade the Skill Checks?
To grade the Skill Checks, teachers will need to use their best professional judgment. In the lessons that contain Skill Checks (and the lessons that precede these assessments), there are many examples of appropriate ways to demonstrate each skill, ...
Why aren’t there any answer keys for the student activities?
Due to the unique nature of writing, there really isn’t any way to provide an answer key for writing activities. There are countless appropriate ways students could respond to a writing task. For example, if asked to paraphrase a section of text, 10 ...
Can students type their essays with a digital curriculum license?
No. However, Top Score Writing has created a free website where students can upload text sets and type their responses. This is available at no charge and can be accessed by visiting https://tswtest.com/. The Top Score Writing Teacher Digital License ...
Is the digital curriculum designed for teachers or students?
The Top Score Writing Teacher Digital License is specifically designed for educators, providing them with a comprehensive toolkit to teach writing effectively throughout the school year. Students will not have a digital account; only the teacher ...
What strategies do you recommend for ELL students?
Teaching writing to new English Language Learners (ELL) involves helping them build skills in vocabulary, grammar, structure, and the ability to express themselves. Here are some effective strategies to get started: 1. Start with simple vocabulary ...
How are the reading levels of the text sets determined?
We are proud to announce that Top Score Writing has partnered with MetaMetrics, developer of the widely adopted Lexile Framework for Reading, to provide Lexile measures for text passages in their print and digital writing program. The Lexile ranges ...
How do I send in student essays to be scored?
Please open the attachment for our scoring process.
Do you score students’ essays?
Yes! We take pride in providing not only accurate scoring but also detailed and specific feedback for students and teachers. Each student will receive an overall score plus a score for each of the three domains. They will each also receive a ...
What is the difference between Top Score Writing and Write Score?
Top Score Writing and Write Score are both educational programs aimed at enhancing students’ writing skills, but they differ in several key aspects. Top Score Writing is a comprehensive curriculum designed to teach writing through structured lessons ...
Why is there one set of curriculum books for Grades 9-12?
Our curriculum for Grades 9-12 is a unique product that can be used in various high school classes. We recognize the various academic levels of students in high school and intentionally created a product to meet the needs of all student populations. ...
How do I turn a Skill Tracker into a live document?
Download the PDF of the Skill Tracker. Open with a System Viewer. Save as an EXCEL document. Highlight all of the information. Paste into a Google Sheet.