I Am David is a common choice for mixed classrooms because its language is accessible and its story is gripping. English learners often connect strongly with David's experience of being in a strange place and struggling to be understood. Their insights can be sophisticated even when their written English is still developing. Grading their essays fairly means separating what they understand from how accurately they can express it.

A rubric with separate rows for content and language makes this distinction visible. The content rows measure the claim, the evidence, and the explanation, and they can be scored without regard to grammatical accuracy as long as the meaning is clear. A language row can then capture progress in vocabulary, sentence structure, and conventions. Keeping these separate prevents a student's ideas from being hidden behind their errors.

When giving feedback, resist the urge to correct every error, since a page full of marks can overwhelm a learner and make the writing feel hopeless. Choose one or two patterns that affect meaning most, such as verb tense in narrative summary or missing articles, and address those. Explain the pattern briefly and show one corrected example. Students improve faster when they can focus on a small target.

Supporting the Writing Process

Scaffolds can help English learners produce stronger essays without lowering expectations for thinking. Sentence frames for claims, evidence, and explanation give students the language of analysis, such as this shows that David feels because. Word banks of story-related vocabulary, including words for emotions and settings, reduce the burden of searching for terms. These supports can be gradually removed as students gain confidence.

• Score content and language separately on the rubric
• Focus corrections on one or two patterns at a time
• Provide sentence frames for claims and explanations
• Offer word banks tied to the events of the novel
• Allow students to discuss ideas in their home language before writing

Using Home Language as a Resource

Allowing students to plan or discuss in their home language before writing in English can significantly improve the quality of ideas. A student who can explain David's fear of strangers to a peer in Spanish or Vietnamese may then find it easier to compose the same thought in English. This approach values what students already know rather than treating their language as an obstacle. It also builds confidence, which is essential for risk taking in a new language.

Be mindful that translation tools can produce fluent-sounding text that does not reflect the student's own ability. If a paper suddenly appears much more polished than earlier work, a conversation about the writing process is warranted. The goal is not to police but to understand what support the student needs. Encouraging them to draft in their own words first keeps the learning honest.

Making Feedback Understandable

Feedback should be written in plain, direct language that a student at a lower proficiency level can understand. Avoid idioms and long sentences, and use concrete examples rather than abstract terms. For instance, instead of telling a student to elaborate on the significance of the evidence, ask them to write one sentence about why this moment is important. Clear feedback is a form of respect.

Some teachers find it helpful to give feedback orally in a short conference, followed by one or two written targets. Talking allows you to check understanding and adapt to the student's needs in the moment. If the class is large, tools that generate simplified comments from the rubric can help provide written follow-up. The teacher then reviews these to ensure they are accurate and appropriately worded.

Tracking Growth Over Time

Progress for English learners often shows up in small increments, so it is helpful to compare a student's current work with their own earlier writing instead of with the class average. Keep a portfolio of essays across the year and note improvements in length, vocabulary, and use of evidence. Sharing these gains with the student and family highlights achievement that a single grade might hide. Growth-focused reporting keeps motivation high.

Coordinate with your school's language support specialists when possible, since they can suggest targeted strategies and share information about a student's proficiency level. A brief conversation may reveal that a student is ready for greater challenge or needs additional scaffolds. Collaboration across roles leads to better outcomes for the student. It also spreads the work of supporting multilingual learners across the school.