This document provides an overview of the 6 Traits writing model for instruction and assessment. The 6 Traits include Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. Each trait is defined and sample teaching strategies are outlined. Using the 6 Traits approach provides students and teachers with a common language for writing, consistency in assessment, and a framework to focus instruction and revision. It links assessment to teaching writing skills and develops the areas evaluated in standardized writing assessments.
This is a great resource to help get students engaged in persuasive writing. This free teaching resource is from Innovative Teaching Resources. You can access hundreds of their excellent resources here. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Innovative-Teaching-Ideas
I made this power point presentation in World Literature for I was assigned to report about the full story of "The Iliad" by Homer. Additionally, this presentation includes themes and literary approach applied in the story. I hope this could help you in literature subject. :)
Instructor: Mr. Jaime M. Forbes
Presenter: Marie Buena "Yeng" Bunsoy
Journal Writing. we will explain the journal writing that what is journal writing ,how to start a journal. how to write a journal, benefits of journal writing,types and views pf journalist etc
These slides deals with another primary skill in linguistics. Why we write and what is purpose of writing..What are the process in which people write. and how we analyse it...and most importantly what are the types in writing and their exercises.
This is a great resource to help get students engaged in persuasive writing. This free teaching resource is from Innovative Teaching Resources. You can access hundreds of their excellent resources here. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Innovative-Teaching-Ideas
I made this power point presentation in World Literature for I was assigned to report about the full story of "The Iliad" by Homer. Additionally, this presentation includes themes and literary approach applied in the story. I hope this could help you in literature subject. :)
Instructor: Mr. Jaime M. Forbes
Presenter: Marie Buena "Yeng" Bunsoy
Journal Writing. we will explain the journal writing that what is journal writing ,how to start a journal. how to write a journal, benefits of journal writing,types and views pf journalist etc
These slides deals with another primary skill in linguistics. Why we write and what is purpose of writing..What are the process in which people write. and how we analyse it...and most importantly what are the types in writing and their exercises.
In this session, author Angela Peery shares writing strategies that can be used across the curriculum in order to heighten engagement, increase critical thinking, and refine craft.
Learning about Language by Observing and ListeningThe real.docxfestockton
Learning about Language by Observing and Listening
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
The UCSD experience encompasses academic as well as social learning. Therefore, we learn not only from our courses, but from the people we meet on campus and the experiences we have with them. Life is a journey of self-discovery. As individuals, we are constantly seeking to determine who we are and where we belong in the world. Throughout this process, language is both a bridge and a barrier to communication and human growth.
The general subject matter for this essay is language or language communities. The source of your information will be what you observe and hear by listening to others. The goal is to do a project based on what our own minds can comprehend from diligent observation, note-taking, and reasoning. You should arrive at a reasoned (not emotional) conclusion. The conclusion/result of your experiment is your thesis and should be presented in the opening paragraph in one sentence. Secondary material should not be brought into this essay. Thus, this is not an essay that needs to be the result of academic texts or online sources. The research is what you see and how you interpret what you see and hear. It will be up to you to determine what particular focus your essay will take and wahat meaning you wish to convey to your reader. Do the exploratory writing activities on pages 73-76. These activities will guide you through an analysis of some of the reflections you completed in the first part of your book. Once you determine your focus, you will use the information you have already gathered and additional information you will research to clarify your ideas and provide evidence for the points you wish to make.
If you prefer a more direct prompt, the suggested topics listed below might be helpful to you. Choose one of the following topics to establish a focus and direction.
1) From your observations and conversations, what assumptions and stereotypes do we make about people based on language and behavior? What did you learn from the experiment?
2) You may examine body language as well as verbal language. Explore nonverbal communication in a group. What conclusions can you come to regarding the group based on nonverbal behavior?
3) Did you observe language differences between men and women here at UCSD Notice the ways in which men and women treat one another. Observe the language you hear on campus.
How do women greet one another? How do men greet each other? Do not just note the similarities or differences. Explain and interpret the information.
4) Observe and identify a code language on campus, on your job, or in your personal arena. How is language used? Is it effective? Analyze.
5) Have you become keenly aware of code switching? Who utilizes this language? In your observations and conversations, did you find code switching to be an acceptable form of lang.
Learning about Language by Observing and ListeningThe real voy.docxfestockton
Learning about Language by Observing and Listening
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
The UCSD experience encompasses academic as well as social learning. Therefore, we learn not only from our courses, but from the people we meet on campus and the experiences we have with them. Life is a journey of self-discovery. As individuals, we are constantly seeking to determine who we are and where we belong in the world. Throughout this process, language is both a bridge and a barrier to communication and human growth.
The general subject matter for this essay is language or language communities. The source of your information will be what you observe and hear by listening to others. The goal is to do a project based on what our own minds can comprehend from diligent observation, note-taking, and reasoning. You should arrive at a reasoned (not emotional) conclusion. The conclusion/result of your experiment is your thesis and should be presented in the opening paragraph in one sentence. Secondary material should not be brought into this essay. Thus, this is not an essay that needs to be the result of academic texts or online sources. The research is what you see and how you interpret what you see and hear. It will be up to you to determine what particular focus your essay will take and wahat meaning you wish to convey to your reader. Do the exploratory writing activities on pages 73-76. These activities will guide you through an analysis of some of the reflections you completed in the first part of your book. Once you determine your focus, you will use the information you have already gathered and additional information you will research to clarify your ideas and provide evidence for the points you wish to make.
If you prefer a more direct prompt, the suggested topics listed below might be helpful to you. Choose one of the following topics to establish a focus and direction.
1) From your observations and conversations, what assumptions and stereotypes do we make about people based on language and behavior? What did you learn from the experiment?
2) You may examine body language as well as verbal language. Explore nonverbal communication in a group. What conclusions can you come to regarding the group based on nonverbal behavior?
3) Did you observe language differences between men and women here at UCSD Notice the ways in which men and women treat one another. Observe the language you hear on campus.
How do women greet one another? How do men greet each other? Do not just note the similarities or differences. Explain and interpret the information.
4) Observe and identify a code language on campus, on your job, or in your personal arena. How is language used? Is it effective? Analyze.
5) Have you become keenly aware of code switching? Who utilizes this language? In your observations and conversations, did you find code switching to be an accepta.
Never hear "I don't have anything to write about" again!Marla Robertson
Presentation at the 2014 Billie J. Askew Reading Recovery & K-6 Literacy Institute - Writing is learning but how do we get our students to write? This interactive session will provide ideas for generating writing topics through a variety of quickwrite strategies
Participants will learn about the history and driving principles of the ISSN. After reviewing the ISSN Global School Design Model participants will learn the ISSN approach to curriculum, instruction, and assessment: the Graduate Performance System (GPS). Importantly, participants will be introduced to valuable resources designed to help transform teaching and learning while preparing students for college, career, and global citizenship.
Deeper Learning through Global CollaborationHonor Moorman
Global Collaboration Projects can be an authentic and meaningful way to engage students in deeper learning. By working collaboratively with peers around the world, students are challenged to think critically and communicate effectively while drawing on multiple perspectives to solve complex problems and addressing real-world issues. Join us to participate in a simulation of a global collaboration project designed to help you experience and understand how they contribute to deeper learning.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Acetabularia Information For Class 9 .docxvaibhavrinwa19
Acetabularia acetabulum is a single-celled green alga that in its vegetative state is morphologically differentiated into a basal rhizoid and an axially elongated stalk, which bears whorls of branching hairs. The single diploid nucleus resides in the rhizoid.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
2. How Did You Learn to Write?
I always did well on essay tests. Just put everything
you know on there, maybe you’ll hit it. And then you
get the paper back from the teacher and she’s written
just one word across the top of the page, “vague.” I
thought “vague” was kind of vague. I’d write
underneath it “unclear,” and send it back. She’d
return it to me, “ambiguous.” I’d send it back to her,
“cloudy.” We’re still corresponding to this day . . .
“hazy” . . . “muddy” . . .
~Jerry Seinfeld, SeinLanguage
3. “Nothing frustrates a young writer – or an
older writer – more than looking at a
finished piece and knowing it isn’t very
good, but not knowing what to do about
it.”
~ Tommy Thomason
4. Questions to Consider
How do we teach students—and how do
students learn—to write well?
What do we look for when grading students’
writing, and how do we explain those grades
to students?
How do we teach students to revise their own
writing? How do we show them specific ways
to improve?
5. What do we value in writing?
Read “Redwoods”
What do you notice about this student’s writing?
Identify its major strengths and weaknesses.
Share your observations with a partner.
Discuss what advice you would give this writer.
What grade level is this writer? What was the prompt?
11th
grade
Write about a memorable place.
6. What do we value in writing?
Read “Mouse Alert”
What do you notice about this student’s writing?
Identify its major strengths and weaknesses.
Share your observations with a partner.
Discuss what advice you would give this writer.
What grade level is this writer? What was the prompt?
7th
grade
Write about your summer vacation.
7. Objectives: In the next 60 minutes . . .
Learn the language of the six traits
Learn how focus lessons can be used to help
students improve their writing trait by trait
Understand how the six traits relate to the
writing process
Understand how the six traits create an
important link between assessment and
instruction
8. The Six Traits: A Brief History
Originated in Oregon in the 1980s
Vicki Spandel, NWREL researchers, and 17 teachers
Purpose: to develop a consistent vocabulary for
defining good writing/writing instruction; to create an
assessment rubric to be used across all grade levels
Evaluated thousands of papers (all grade levels) and
identified “common characteristics of good writing”
Those qualities became the “six traits”
9. The Six Traits of Good Writing
Ideas
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
(+1) Presentation
10. Defining Ideas
Ideas make up the content of the piece of
writing—the heart of the message. (Culham)
The ideas are the heart of the message, the
content of the piece, the main theme, together
with the details that enrich and develop that
theme. (NWREL)
11. “When I was in school I thought details
were just extra words to add in a story to
make it better. I thought detail was
decoration or wallpaper . . . Details are
not wallpaper; they are walls.”
~Barry Lane
12. Teaching Ideas
For students to arrive at good content, we must
help them:
Select an idea (the topic)
Narrow the idea (focus)
Elaborate on the idea (development)
Discover the best information to convey the idea
(details)
13. Narrowing the Idea: R.A.F.T.
R.A.F.T. stands for . . .
Role of the writer
Audience for the piece of writing
Format of the material
Topic or subject of the piece of writing
Example: You are Jerry Spinelli, author of the delightful
novel, Stargirl. Design a three-part advertising campaign that
will assist you and your publisher to convince one of the major
movie studios to buy the movie rights and make a feature film
based on the book.
14. Elaborating on Ideas
Ask Me a Question
In groups of three, students take turns reading their
writing aloud to the group.
The listeners do not comment. Instead, they write
down three questions they have (things they want
to know more about) and give them to the writer.
This helps the writer become more aware of details
he or she might want to add during revision.
15. Defining Organization
Organization is the internal structure of the
piece, the thread of meaning, the logical
pattern of the ideas. (Culham)
Organization is the internal structure of a piece
of writing, the thread of central meaning, the
logical and sometimes intriguing pattern of the
ideas. (NWREL)
17. Teaching Organization
Strategies for effective organization include:
Beginning with an inviting and focusing
introduction
Providing thoughtful links between key points and
ideas
Employing a logical, purposeful, and effective
sequence
Controlling the pacing
Closing with a satisfying conclusion
18. Sequencing: Mix It Up
Choose a short piece of text—a poem, a magazine
article, a short story, etc.
Cut the text into pieces so students can move them
around like a puzzle.
Ask students, in groups, to put the parts in order.
Which comes first, second, third, last? How do you
know?
If students disagree, discuss the different ways
students have organized the parts. Are they logical
and effective?
19. Introductions: Share Examples
Use mentor texts to show students a variety of ways
to begin, and post a list on the wall.
A thought-provoking question
A hint of the conclusion
An anecdote
An indication of main points
A dramatic or eye-opening statement
A quotation
Encourage students to add to the list as they discover
additional models in their independent reading.
Variations: Sorting Leads, Matching Openers and
Closers
20. Defining Voice
Voice is the soul of the piece. It’s what makes
the writer’s style singular, as his or her
feelings and convictions come out through the
words. (Culham)
The voice is the heart and soul, the magic, the
wit, along with the feeling and conviction of
the individual writer coming out through the
words. (NWREL)
21. “We must teach ourselves to recognize our own
voice. We want to write in a way that is natural for
us, that grows out of the way we think, the way we
see, the way we care. But to make that voice
effective we must develop it, extending our natural
voice through the experience of writing on different
subjects for different audiences, of using our voice as
we perform many writing tasks.”
~Donald Murray, Write to Learn
22. Teaching Voice
Voice emerges when the writer:
Allows the writing to sound like him/herself
Shows that he/she really cares about the idea
Writes with energy and enthusiasm
Writes with the reader in mind
Takes risks to make the writing memorable
Matches the writing to its audience and purpose
23. Learning to Hear Voice in Literature
Collect short passages that exemplify strong or
distinctive voice, put them on overheads, and
read them aloud.
Have students discuss what they think they
know about the writer (or narrator):
Is the writer young or old? male or female?
What feeling does the writer want to communicate?
Does the writer care about this piece of writing?
What kind of audience is the writer addressing?
How do you know these things? What aspects of the text
led you to these conclusions?
24. More Ideas for Teaching Voice
Greeting Cards: Collect a variety of birthday cards, and have
students sort them: romantic, sarcastic, sincere, cute,
sentimental, etc.
Voice In, Voice Out: Give students a piece of text that lacks
voice (instruction manual, textbook, memo, etc.) and invite
them to add as much voice as possible. Read the two versions
aloud and discuss the differences. Try it the other way, too—
have students remove the voice from a strong piece of writing.
New Voices, New Choices: Have students write the first
sentence of a letter (on the same topic) for five different
audiences.
25. Defining Word Choice
Word choice is at its best when it includes the
use of rich, colorful, precise language that
moves and enlightens the reader. (Culham)
Word choice is the use of rich, colorful,
precise language that moves and enlightens the
reader. (NWREL)
26. “The difference between the almost-right word
and the right word is really a large matter—it’s
the difference between the lightning bug and
the lightning.”
“Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her
on and let her scream!”
~Mark Twain
27. Teaching Word Choice
Teaching word choice involves:
Striking Language: Sharpening students’
descriptive powers
Exact Language: Using lively verbs, precise
nouns, and accurate modifiers
Natural Language: Making it sound authentic
Beautiful Language: Choosing colorful words and
phrases
~Ruth Culham, 6+1 Traits of Writing
28. Descriptive Limits
Put this prompt on the board: “Write about a moment when
you were unbelievably scared.”
As a class, discuss possible ways to approach the topic.
When everyone seems ready to begin writing, tell them that
the words scare, frighten, fright, fear, fearful, afraid, spook,
startle, terror, terrorize, terrify, panic, cold sweat, shock,
surprise, dread, turn pale, hair stand on end, blood run cold,
and teeth chatter are all off limits.
After students have time to write, debrief the experience.
What did they discover? How did this activity make them
more (or less) creative in their word choice?
29. The Game of Connotations
I am selective.
You are choosy.
She is fussy.
I am energetic.
You are jumpy.
He is unable to sit still.
I am confident.
Your are self-assured.
He is conceited.
Challenge students to come
up with their own examples.
30. Expanding Small Phrases into Bigger Ones
“You can’t support an elephant on a step ladder.”
Notice the difference between these two sentences:
The wind was strong.
The wind fumed and shrieked about the house, yanking at
the loose shingles.
Have students use vivid verbs, colorful adjectives,
and precise nouns to rewrite sentences such as:
The dog was hungry.
The house was empty.
My sister got mad.
The rain came down.
My shoes were tight.
31. Words, Words, Words Everywhere
Use “Word Walls” and more to create a “print-
rich” classroom environment:
Keep strips of colored paper handy so students can
record “cool” words they discover during reading
and writing activities.
Color code them according to parts of speech:
precise nouns, descriptive adjectives, energetic
verbs.
Post them on the walls, windows, ceiling, etc.
32. Defining Sentence Fluency
Sentence fluency is the flow of the language, the
sound of word patterns—the way the writing plays to
the ear, not just to the eye. (Culham)
Sentence fluency is the rhythm and flow of the
language, the sound of word patterns, the way in
which the writing plays to the ear—not just to the
eye. (NWREL)
Fluent writing is graceful, varied, rhythmic, and
powerful.
33. “Writing is hard work. A clear sentence
is no accident. Very few sentences come
out right the first time, or even the third
time.”
~William Zinsser, On Writing Well
34. Teaching Sentence Fluency
Helping students improve their sentence
fluency means teaching them to:
Use a variety of sentence lengths
Use a variety of sentence beginnings
Use a variety of sentence structures
Use repetition of sounds, words, and phrases to
create patterns
Create writing that can be read aloud with ease
35. Sentence Stretching
Ask each student to write a simple sentence of 4-5
words at the top of a sheet of paper.
(Example: Matthew ate a pizza.)
Students pass the paper to the next student who must
add or change one element to make the sentence more
specific and interesting.
After the paper has been passed to 10-12 people, it is
returned to the original owner.
Students write their revised sentences on the board
for all to see.
36. End With a Noun
Experiment with one of your sentences.
Try ending it with different parts of speech.
Decide which is the most effective.
A rolling stone gathers no moss. (noun)
If a stone rolls, hardly any moss with be gathered. (verb)
If you are concerned about moss gathering on a stone, roll
it. (pronoun)
When trying to rid yourself of moss, roll the stone quickly.
(adverb)
If you roll the stone, the moss will become smooth.
(adjective)
37. Defining Conventions
Conventions represent the piece’s level of correctness—the
extent to which the writer uses grammar and mechanics with
precision. (Culham)
Conventions are the mechanical correctness of the piece—
spelling, grammar and usage, paragraphing, use of capitals,
and punctuation. (NWREL)
Conventions include anything a copy editor might deal with.
The whole purpose of this trait is to enhance readability—to
make the writing enticing and accessible to the reader.
38. “Editing is easy, all you have to do is
cross out the wrong words.”
~Mark Twain
39. Teaching Conventions
Teaching students the correct use of
conventions includes lessons that focus on:
Spelling correctly when publishing work
Applying basic capitalization rules with
consistency
Using appropriate punctuation marks to guide the
reader
Using appropriate grammatical structures to
communicate ideas clearly and convincingly
40. Tips for Teaching Conventions
Get a good sense of what students know and what
they still need to learn.
Teach the skills that are developmentally appropriate
for students to add to their repertoire of conventions.
Allow for plenty of practice, time to experiment, and
opportunities to apply the new skills in their writing.
Hold students accountable for the specific skills for
which they have an understanding.
Use wall charts and mentor texts.
41. Presentation (the + 1)
Presentation zeros in on the form and layout—
how pleasing the piece is to the eye. (Culham)
Presentation makes the piece easy to read:
Margins are even; layout is effective.
Handwriting or font is legible and clear.
Illustrations are appropriate and well-placed.
Everything contributes to the effectiveness of the
writing.
42. Why Use the Six Traits?
It provides a common language for teachers
and students to use in teaching and learning
about the craft of writing.
It provides consistency in writing assessment
and a shared vocabulary for giving feedback to
students.
It provides a guiding focus for writing
instruction and the tools students need to
revise their own writing.
43. Why is the 6+1Trait Model an Effective
Teaching Tool for Writing Instruction?
Defines good writing in a specific way for the teacher and the
student
Provides a way to delineate areas of individual strengths and
areas of challenge
Allows for greater consistency and accuracy in assessment
Provides a common vocabulary for vertical and horizontal
alignment of instruction
Develops all of the traits evaluated in state assessment
Provides a clear link between reading and writing
Enables students to become self-assessors
44. “The writing process is a means to an end
and not an end in itself.”
~Ruth Culham
45. The Traits and the Writing Process
Prewriting Ideas, Organization, Voice
Drafting Ideas, Organization, Voice,
Word Choice, Sentence
Fluency
Revising All traits except conventions
Editing Conventions
Publishing Presentation
46. Two Groups of Traits
Revision Traits:
Individual, creative, complex, and messy
Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence
Fluency
Editing Traits:
Predetermined, correct, and exacting
Conventions, Presentation
Coach students to keep conscious editing out of the
prewriting and drafting process; most editing should
occur after revision of ideas occurs.
47. “Good assessment always begins with a
vision of success.”
~Richard Stiggins,
Student-Centered Classroom Assessment
48. “We must constantly remind ourselves
that the ultimate purpose of evaluation is
to enable students to evaluate
themselves.”
~Arthur Costa
49. The Traits and Assessment
The 6-Trait rubrics can be used by:
Self, peer, teacher
To assess:
A single trait, a group of traits, all the traits
The 6-Trait rubrics can also be used as:
A tool for vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment
An instrument for grade-level, school, or district
measurement
Assessment is not the end of the writing process.
It is the bridge to revision.
6-Trait Writing is all about revision!
50. “Assessment is not the private property of
teachers. Kids can learn to evaluate their own
writing. They must take part in this . . . it is
central to the growth of writing. Even before
they write, they need to know about what
makes writing strong or effective. And they
need to know the criteria by which their own
writing will be judged.”
~ Marjorie Frank
51. Where do I begin?
Establish a writing community in your classroom
based on the whole writing process.
Focus your mini-lessons, assessment, and revision on
the traits, preferably one at a time.
Use the vocabulary of the traits when reading and
discussing texts.
“We’re teaching our students to write, not to trait.”
(Ruth Culham, 6+1 Traits of Writing)
52. The Traits and Instruction
Introduce the concept of the writing traits
Immerse students in writers’ language
Teach students to be assessors of their own and others’ work:
guide them through analysis of anonymous sample papers; use
self-assessment in revising and goal setting
Share strong and weak examples from many different sources
(including literature and student writing) to illustrate each trait
Use focused lessons that target each trait; include hands-on
activities to help students develop skills and deepen their
understanding
Provide numerous opportunities for students to practice
focused revision and editing of their own work as well as the
work of others; model writing and let students coach you
53. “Think of how many teachers you had
who actually helped you with your
writing. Most people can name one or
two. I say to teachers, ‘Be that one
teacher for a child.’”
~Donald Graves
54. Resources
Culham, Ruth. 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete
Guide. New York: Scholastic, 2003.
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/
Spandel, Vicki. Creating Writers Through 6-Trait
Writing Assessment and Instruction. 3rd
ed. New
York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.
Spandel, Vicki. “Write Traits: 6-Trait Instruction and
Assessment.” San Antonio. 24-26 Oct. 2005.