Students' writing folders are collections of the students' in-process writing. During an English language arts course, students will produce a number of compositions. Some will reflect the entire writing process but some will reflect only parts of it. For example, students might be involved with five writing tasks. They may have completed the pre-writing for all five, but have terminated three of them after completing a first draft. Two others may reflect the complete revision process. One of these may have been selected for grading.
A simple letter-size file folder (dossier) or a manilla folder can be used to store the various compositions as well as checklists, editors' comments, and student and teacher evaluations. Writing folders can be made from Bristol board or a similar light cardboard. Separate sections can be kept for ideas, notes and first drafts; for work in progress; and for final drafts.
Writing folders (dossiers) play an important role in the language arts classroom. They are places to sift, sort, and store students' pre-writing notes, drafts, checklists, and feedback. The feedback includes graded compositions.
Writing portfolios are also places where students can store their writing. They are similar to artists' portfolios--collections of exemplary and polished work. At term-end or course-end, students can select from their writing folders those compositions that they feel best represent their writing abilities and progress.
One of the major values of writing portfolios is the invitation they offer to students to assess themselves. Self-assessment prompts such as the following can help focus the task:
When portfolios are used as a means of evaluation, a guide should be given to the students so they can understand how they are being judged. A sample set of guidelines follows.
The writing portfolio can become part of an overall English language arts portfolio.