International Schools' Assessment (ISA)

Contact us

Australian Council for Educational Research

19 Prospect Hill Rd,
Camberwell, VIC 3124, Australia

T: +613 9277 5555
F: +613 9277 5757
E: isa@acer.edu.au

Annotated Writing Samples

The ISA annotated writing samples illustrate different levels of the ISA narrative and expository writing scales. The two ISA writing tasks are each assessed on three separate criteria. The level that is assigned to a piece of writing reflects the combined scores for the three criteria therefore a piece of writing may not meet all the criteria in the level description. For example, a piece of narrative writing may have a high score for content and a lower score for language and spelling, so the content of the piece may match the level description and the spelling and language may fall slightly below the level description. There are samples for most, but not all, levels of the two writing scales. 

Criteria for exposition/argument

Content criterion looks at the depth and range of ideas presented, and at the quality of reasoning demonstrated in the ability to provide evidence and logical argumentation in support of a position.

ESOL Language criterion is applied to all students’ writing regardless of their language background, but focuses on the grammatical correctness and command of English syntax, as well as sentence fluency and variation, and vocabulary.

Structure and Organisation criterion deals with the overall structure of the writing, for example the presence of a clear introduction, development and conclusion; and its internal coherence, such as linking between and within paragraphs.