NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What does Holistic Scoring assess in students’ writing?

1. Mechanical grammar accuracy

2. Communicative effectiveness

3. Spelling and punctuation

4. The use of complex sentences

The correct answer is: Communicative effectiveness

Holistic scoring focuses on evaluating the overall effectiveness of a student’s writing as a communicative tool. This approach takes into account the coherence, clarity, and overall organization of the ideas presented, as well as how well the writing conveys the intended message to the audience. Unlike more granular scoring methods that isolate specific aspects of writing, such as grammar, spelling, or sentence structure, holistic scoring emphasizes the integration of these elements to determine how well the writing fulfills its communicative purpose. By assessing communicative effectiveness, holistic scoring provides a more comprehensive view of a student's writing abilities in a contextualized manner, reflecting real-world writing scenarios where the primary goal is to communicate ideas successfully.