WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM Exploring the 6 Traits Shanghai American School, Pudong Campus Shanghai, China February 11, 2008 Presenter: Fay Leong

Expectations? What do you hope to get out of this workshop?

What do you

hope

to get out of this

workshop?

How do you feel about teaching writing? Edvard Munch, The Scream , 1893

Why do we write? The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say. F. Scott Fitzgerald

The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Essential questions

What kind of writing do we expect our students to be learning/doing?

Once we know the purpose, what characteristics make good writing?

Writing Frameworks

No framework = a big mess

When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing. Enrique Jardiel Poncela (Spanish playwright, 1901 – 1952)

When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.

Enrique Jardiel Poncela

(Spanish playwright, 1901 – 1952)

Different frameworks 6+1 Traits RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

6+1 Traits

RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

To use any framework you must first decide on the form of writing that you want

To use any framework you must first decide on the form of writing that you want

Different Forms One example: Recount - the news, events, timelines ; Procedure - flowcharts, recipes ; Description - events, objects, points of view ; Report - order and manipulate information ; Explanation - cause and effect, how and why ; Argument - generate and evaluate solutions to problems ; Discussion - perspective, evaluation, thinking David Whitehead, Writing Frameworks: Easy-to-Use Structures for Creating Confident, Successful Writers, 2003

One example:

Recount - the news, events, timelines ;

Procedure - flowcharts, recipes ;

Description - events, objects, points of view ;

Report - order and manipulate information ;

Explanation - cause and effect, how and why ;

Argument - generate and evaluate solutions to problems ;

Discussion - perspective, evaluation, thinking

David Whitehead, Writing Frameworks: Easy-to-Use Structures for Creating Confident, Successful Writers, 2003

6+1 Traits

What is the 6+1 Traits format? Ideas Organization Word Choice Voice Sentence Fluency Conventions Presentation Traits are simply the building blocks of writing

Ideas

Organization

Word Choice

Voice

Sentence Fluency

Conventions

Presentation

Ideas Required content Key focus should be obvious - supported by relevant details that expand on that focus Message clearly conveyed. Not predictable Presenting insight/depth within the theme

Required content

Key focus should be obvious - supported by relevant details that expand on that focus

Message clearly conveyed.

Not predictable

Presenting insight/depth within the theme

Organization A strong framework/structure Central idea maintained throughout Must suit the purpose (report, analysis, expository) Has a clear beginning Direction is obvious and controlled throughout – providing substance Connections between ideas provide the foundation of the piece/structure Has an emphatic ending that brings closure to the central idea/theme

A strong framework/structure

Central idea maintained throughout

Must suit the purpose (report, analysis, expository)

Has a clear beginning

Direction is obvious and controlled throughout – providing substance

Connections between ideas provide the foundation of the piece/structure

Has an emphatic ending that brings closure to the central idea/theme

Voice The writer behind the words is obvious A clear sense of engagement ‘Jumps’ off the page How do you want to help the student create this?

The writer behind the words is obvious

A clear sense of engagement

‘Jumps’ off the page

How do you want to help the student create this?

Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto. Ray Bradbury

Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto.

Ray Bradbury

Word Choice The language suits the purpose Precise Rich Engaging Writer has carefully chosen words that gives depth to the ideas Careful use of everyday words as well as subject specific vocabulary

The language suits the purpose

Precise

Rich

Engaging

Writer has carefully chosen words that gives depth to the ideas

Careful use of everyday words as well as subject specific vocabulary

Sentence Fluency Is the writing stilted? Is it confusing? Does the writing help the message/story/report, or does it obscure it?

Is the writing stilted?

Is it confusing?

Does the writing help the message/story/report, or does it obscure it?

Conventions Mechanics – Depends on grade level and standards and benchmarks for that subject Correct usage of grammar Paragraphing Use of capitals Punctuation.

Mechanics – Depends on grade level and standards and benchmarks for that subject

Correct usage of grammar

Paragraphing

Use of capitals

Punctuation.

Presentation Decide on the visual and verbal elements Subject specific Dependent on the purpose of the piece

Decide on the visual and verbal elements

Subject specific

Dependent on the purpose of the piece

Writing Assessments

Creating Writing Assessments P urpose P rocess P roduct Know what you want from your students

P urpose

P rocess

P roduct

Know what you want from your students

Things to think about From K-12, what forms of writing does your subject expect (a writing continuum)? At your grade level, what processes do you want them to have?

From K-12, what forms of writing does your subject expect (a writing continuum)?

At your grade level, what processes do you want them to have?

Continuum + Skills + Content Required Assessments

Continuum + Skills + Content

Required Assessments

Rubrics: Scoring writing assessments

Rubrics: the positives Outlines what’s expected Makes sure teacher and student have worked out the requirements of the assessment Good check-in Grading process is clear

Outlines what’s expected

Makes sure teacher and student have worked out the requirements of the assessment

Good check-in

Grading process is clear

Rubrics: the negatives Do students really read them? Time-consuming to make Outcome is sometimes not a good fit to the letter/number grade

Do students really read them?

Time-consuming to make

Outcome is sometimes not a good fit to the letter/number grade

I need direction! Know the purpose of your assessment Identify your grading criteria Keep it simple Set up your basic rubrics for the criteria Modify 6 Traits examples for specific ideas/content and organization

Know the purpose of your assessment

Identify your grading criteria

Keep it simple

Set up your basic rubrics for the criteria

Modify 6 Traits examples for specific ideas/content and organization

To Re-cap

Ask yourself: What is your writing continuum (K-12) within your subject? What do you want to have at your level? Where are the students coming from? Where are they going? Where can we come together across the curriculum to help our students be confident writers no matter what the content or genre?

Ask yourself:

What is your writing continuum (K-12) within your subject?

What do you want to have at your level?

Where are the students coming from?

Where are they going?

Where can we come together across the curriculum to help our students be confident writers no matter what the content or genre?

The pen is the tongue of the mind Miguel de Cervantes

The pen is the tongue of the mind

Miguel de Cervantes

Acknowledgements Art of Europe, Munch – The Scream , www.artofeurope.com/munch/mun3.htm Camel smile, Aha Jokes, www.ahajokes.com/crt313.html Daredevils: human pyramid, pib.nic.in /.../pg26jan2003/26012003.html Ideas, www.allposters.com/-sp/Ideas-Posters_i838569_.htm Keystone Search, www.keystonesearch.com/contact.php Learning Resources, www.learningresources.com/product/improving+s ... Northwestern Regional Educational Laboratory, 6+1 Trait® Writing, http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/department.php?d=1 Pocket compass, The Magnetic Compass: History, www.solarnavigator.net/compass.htm Tom’s cartoons, Mad Faces, protonicus.studentenweb.org /.../? tutnr =2 Writing Frameworks, Silver Creek CSD, October 30, 2006, http://www.slideshare.net/TGray/writing-frameworks/

Art of Europe, Munch – The Scream , www.artofeurope.com/munch/mun3.htm

Camel smile, Aha Jokes, www.ahajokes.com/crt313.html

Daredevils: human pyramid, pib.nic.in /.../pg26jan2003/26012003.html

Ideas, www.allposters.com/-sp/Ideas-Posters_i838569_.htm

Keystone Search, www.keystonesearch.com/contact.php

Learning Resources, www.learningresources.com/product/improving+s ...

Northwestern Regional Educational Laboratory, 6+1 Trait® Writing, http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/department.php?d=1

Pocket compass, The Magnetic Compass: History, www.solarnavigator.net/compass.htm

Tom’s cartoons, Mad Faces, protonicus.studentenweb.org /.../? tutnr =2

Writing Frameworks, Silver Creek CSD, October 30, 2006, http://www.slideshare.net/TGray/writing-frameworks/