Assessing Historical Reasoning Through Expository Writing in Special Education

• In Event: Reading and Writing: Literacy Instruction and Impacts

Abstract

This study describes the process of developing a valid and reliable writing rubric used to evaluate historical reasoning of twelve 7th grade students in a special education history classroom. Historical reasoning includes the examination of different historical documents, identification of corroborative evidence, and contextualization of historical events. A total of 96 essays responding to central historical questions were included in the analysis. Essays were evaluated using a researcher-created rubric, developed based on the construct of historical thinking integrated with writing discipline-specific Common Core State Standards. The rubric went through five revisions to address content validity, nuances of each domain, and levels within the domains. Reliability reached an acceptable level (α=.70), suggesting this is a reliable measure of historical reasoning.

Authors

• Eric Claravall, California State University - Sacramento

• Robin Irey, University of California at Berkeley

• Alyssa Rasmussen, California State University - Sacramento

• Barbara Nolan