This document provides an overview of 6-Trait Writing Instruction and Assessment. It discusses the six traits of good writing: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. For each trait, it defines what the trait means, provides examples from authors, and discusses strategies for teaching students to improve in that trait. It also discusses how the six traits approach provides a common language for teachers to assess writing and give feedback to students.

1. 6-Trait Writing Instruction
and Assessment

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
 Forstudents 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)

16. “Good prose is architecture.”
~Ernest Hemingway

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.  I am confident.
You are choosy. Your are self-assured.
She is fussy. He is conceited.
 I am energetic.  Challenge students to come
You are jumpy. up with their own examples.
He is unable to sit still.

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
 Helpingstudents 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
 Teachingstudents 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.