Using Newsela Writing
Click the dropdowns below for more information and step-by-step instructions for using Newsela Writing in your classroom.
Create Assignment
Creating a new assignment
As a first step, login with your Newsela account here, and follow the instructions below:
Click + Create Assignment at the top-right of your screen
Select the preferred assignment length
Select the desired type of writing out of the following options:
Literary Analysis
Argumentative/Persuasive
Narrative, Expository
Informative/Informational
Opinion
Main/Central Idea
Inference/Conclusion.
Optional - include Newsela content source (article). If you do not want to add Newsela content to your assignment, click on 'Continue without content'.
To include Newsela content source(s) (articles) in your Newsela Writing assignment:
copy/paste the Newsela article's URL into the designated field, and click 'Add'
The selected content will appear on the window
Proceed to adjust the reading level to your preference. You can lock the reading level at any of the levels displayed within the dropdown menu, or keep the reading level Unlocked. When the level is left unlocked, the text will appear for each student at their Newsela recommended reading level, however the text will also be accessible at all available levels for the students to select from
Repeat the steps above to add more content sources to your assignment, if applicable. You can add up to 10 articles to a Newsela Writing assignment
Click 'Remove' on an individual content source tile to remove it from the assignment if you no longer wish for it to be added
When satisfied with your selections, click 'Continue with added content' at the bottom of the window
Note: at this time Text Sets or Videos are not supported for this function. Only individual Newsela articles can be used within Newsela Writing. Newsela Writing does support articles both in English and in Spanish (where available)
Type in a prompt for students or keywords for AI generation, then proceed to select between using the manually entered prompt or using our AI agent to generate prompt suggestions instead.
If you chose AI generation - proceed to select the prompt that fits your needs the most (you can view additional prompts, or refine your original prompt to generate better ones)
Select the rubric to be used (You can check what rubrics are available in Newsela Writing from your home page, by clicking on the “View all available rubrics” button)
Align sentence labels to the terms you use in the classroom. Click each label to select from the alternative terms
Indicate your preference regarding in-text citation for Evidence:
When the 'Require in-text citation for Evidence to be labeled' toggle is OFF, Newsela Writing will do its best to infer the writer's intention when labeling evidence in their writing.”
When the 'Require in-text citation for Evidence to be labeled' is ON, Newsela Writing will require that students provide an in-text citation in order to label their evidence.”
Keeping this toggle OFF is recommended when assigning to writers that are less familiar with MLA citation format, as a way for the AI to apply that consideration when trying to identify what the writer intends as evidence in support of a claim or argument.
Note that this setting - as all assignment settings - apply to the single assignment and is not customizable to individual students.
Review the assignment's details (if needed, the title can be adjusted at this point) and click Create Assignment when ready
The new assignment is now ready to be shared with students
Teacher's Preview
You can preview your assignment to see what your students' experience will be by clicking on the assignment's title from your main assignments page. Here, you can view the attached Newsela content, test writing a response and check the feedback provided, just like a student would.
Common FAQ
Can I add my own writing prompts?
Yes, you can add your own writing prompts to Newsela Writing. Create your own from scratch or paste them from another source, such as a curriculum document.
How does Newsela Writing help me create prompts?
Newsela Writing can help you generate prompts on any given topic right within the platform. Enter a few keywords and let Newsela Writing use AI to provide a list of options.
What is the Newsela Writing Library?
The Newsela Writing Library of pre-made assignments contains ELA assignments. Explore hundreds of pre-made short-answer assignments featuring Newsela content side-by-side with Newsela Writing. Each assignment is built from released items on state ELA tests in FL, TX, CA, NY, NJ, VA, and more. Assignments are organized by state rubric, grade level, and genre.
Library assignments display ELA Core State Standards on the assignment card and on the assignment page. We also offer ELA state standards for the following states: TX, FL, and VA.
When using assignments from the library, teachers can rename the assignment and select different rubrics.
Is it possible to lock the reading level for an article that is pre-included in an assignment that is published to the library?
Not at this time. If you wish to lock the reading level, we recommend creating a new assignment instead of using the one published to the library.
Assign to Students
Sending assignments to students
Once you have created an assignment, it is time to send it to your students. Since Newsela Writing uses your rosters from Newsela, students who have joined your Newsela class will appear in Newsela Writing as class students, while any student who has not joined your Newsela class will appear in Newsela Writing as an un-rostered student.
To send the assignment to your students, simply provide them with the assignment link.
Locate the assignment link
There are two pathways to locate the assignment link to send to your students:
From Newsela Writing's main assignments page
Locate the assignment on your list
Click the triple-dots to the far right of the assignment tile
Select "Send to students" from the dropdown menu
From within an assignment's preview
Click on the assignment's title to open the teacher's preview
Click on "Send to students" at the top right of the screen
Send the assignment link to students
Click "Copy Link" to copy and save the assignment link to your clipboard. You can then send it to your students in any method you choose, for example: paste it into an assignment within Newsela, Formative, or the LMS used by your school.
Alternatively, if your Newsela class is synced with your Google Classroom, you can also select "Send on Google Classroom" to post the assignment link directly into your Google Classroom feed.
Common FAQ
What rubrics does Newsela Writing provide?
Newsela offers rubrics for all 50 states, as well as common consortia for a range of writing genres. Teachers can select a rubric for Elementary, Middle, or High School students. If a state has published a rubric, Newsela offers that rubric. If there is no published rubric for a state at a particular grade level, a teacher can use Newsela-authored rubrics. All supported rubrics can be found in this downloadable csv file: https://everwrite.newsela.com/api/document-service/rubric/csv
Can I upload my own rubric?
At this time, Newsela Writing doesn’t support the ability to upload your own rubric. If you have a rubric that you think Newsela Writing should support, please send it as an attachment or a link via our Support Contact form at: https://support.newsela.com/contact/
Do I have to use Newsela content to make a Newsela Writing assignment?
No, you don’t have to use Newsela content, but many teachers find that pairing a writing assignment with Newsela’s great content provides inspiration and connections for students.
Write - The Student Experience
How do students access Newsela Writing assignments?
Each time you create a new assignment in Newsela Writing you receive a link to share with your students to access that specific writing assignment. You can share the link however you prefer, such as via your learning management system (Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, etc.) or email.
When students click on the assignment link they will be asked to log in to Newsela. If they are already logged in they will go straight to the assignment.
Once students are logged in they can immediately start writing and receiving feedback.
The textual feedback that students receive when they ask Everett (the space person) for feedback is delivered as streaming text. As soon as the feedback is available via the OpenAI API, we start streaming the answer.
Students can use the 'Submit' button to submit their work for teacher review. When work is submitted the student can no longer edit the work. Teachers can re-open the work for students to continue editing and re-submit.
Can students style their writing?
Students can use the styling menu located at the top of the page:
What is the Newsela Writing checklist?
The Newsela Writing checklist reviews the types of sentences students need to include for a given assignment and determines which ones are present or missing. Newsela Writing can help students create each type of sentence by offering tips, examples, and explanations. As students write they can request feedback from Newsela Writing and when they do,they’ll see sentences highlighted with labels, helping them understand their progress. The Newsela Writing checklist is not available when assigning Narrative writing.
See the Understanding Newsela Writing’s Labeling article to learn more!
What are the rubric meters?
Rubric meters help students track their progress to meet the goals of the selected rubric. Example meters with corresponding rubric sections may include "Reasoning and support" or "Organization."
Can students view the rubric?
Yes. Students can locate the Rubric's title at the top left corner of the assignment and click it to view. The rubric will open in a new tab.
Can students use Newsela Writing without their teacher?
Currently, students must have an Newsela Writing assignment link from their teacher to use the program.We are interested in learning more about how we might best support independent student writing outside of teacher-created assignments. If you have examples of how you would use this feature with your students, we’d love to hear them! Please submit a request!
I included a Newsela article in my assignment, what will be the reading level displayed for the students?
When creating the assignment teachers can select whether to lock the reading level to a specific level - in which case all students will receive the article at that same level without a way to adjust it. Or, teachers can select to leave the reading level unlocked - in which case each student will receive the article at his own Newsela recommended reading level by default, and will have the option to further change the reading level to any of the other options available.
Review Students' Work
How can I see my students’ progress?
You can use the dropdown that allows teachers to toggle between workspaces to monitor student work and track progress in the assignment report tab.
From your main assignments page, locate the assignment and click on it to open the teacher's preview window
Then, switch from the "assignment" tab to the "assignment report" tab at the top right of the page
What insights can I gain?
For each student's assignment you can find the following data:
Word count
Paragraph count
Feedback requests (this is the count of requests that the student has made for feedback from Newsela Writing)
Time spent
Last revised
The Rubric Scores
Can I export data from Newsela Writing?
You can export data as a .csv file from your Assignment Report view. Click 'Export data' in the upper right-hand corner and a .csv of the data displayed in the Assignment Dashboard will be triggered.
How do I view my students' writing?
From the students' list click on the redirect icon next to a student's name. The student's writing will open in a new tab. You can proceed to view other students' writings or navigate back to the teacher's preview, by selecting from the "Viewing" dropdown
Can I provide feedback to my students via Newsela Writing?
You can send feedback to your student via Newsela Writing in real time!
When viewing your students' writing, click on "Add A Comment" located on the right side of the writing. Type your feedback and click "Comment" when done. Your feedback will be sent to your student immediately.
Where can I view the Rubric details?
Locate the Rubric's title at the top right corner of the page and click the re-direct icon next to it. The Rubric will open in a separate tab.
Can I create my own rubric?
We are looking at ways to support teachers bringing their own rubrics to Newsela Writing. In the meantime, we can manually add new rubrics easily. Please send us any rubrics that you would like added to support@newsela.com, or fill out our contact form linked here.
How does Newsela Writing apply the sentence labels?
Newsela Writing applies sentence labels such as Thesis, Evidence, Analysis, Summary, and Background to short answer argumentative and literary analysis writing by applying the specific rules-based definitions of these sentence labels to each of the sentences in the student’s writing. When it identifies a sentence that meets the rules for a specific label, it applies the label and highlights the specific sentence in the color associated with that label
Privacy/ Data
How does Newsela Writing ensure student privacy?
Newsela Writing follows industry standards to ensure student privacy and complies with regulations such as FERPA, COPPA, and state student data privacy laws. Our collection and use of student data is governed by these laws as well as by our contracts with schools. For more information on student privacy, please refer to Newsela’s privacy policy.
Is student work used to build Newsela’s own language models?
No, student work submitted to Newsela Writing is not used to train or build our language models. We do, however, use student work to fine-tune specific sentence classifiers (e.g., background or evidence classifiers), but these classifiers do not store or "remember" student work. Instead, they learn rules to identify sentence types based on essays, ensuring student work remains secure.
How does Newsela Writing use AI, and is student data protected?
Newsela Writing utilizes AI to assist educators and students in providing real-time feedback and insights into student writing. Our AI is designed with student privacy and safety as a top priority. It does not store any personally identifiable information, nor does it make decisions that could impact student privacy.
The AI engine in Newsela Writing follows strict data protection protocols that align with industry standards. Additionally, if you’d like more information on how Newsela handles student data, you can refer to our Newsela Privacy Policy.
For further technical details or to ensure compliance with your school’s policies, please feel free to reach out, and we’ll be happy to provide additional resources.