1. Instruction and Assessment
6-Trait Writing
Instruction and Assessment

2. Models of Writing Read Redwoods and Mouse Alert..
Make notes on the NOTES page for discussion on the qualities you notice about each piece.
Share with a partner the similarities and differences.
Refer to page 43 in the book, Creating Writers for the content and exact directions used.
Share some of these aloud if there is time and is appropriate.

3. Objectives/Goals
Identify and discuss the strengths and problems in any piece of writing, using trait language.
Learn the language of 6-Trait.
Understand how writing lessons relate to the traits.
Model a lesson with your students.
These are the goals we hope to accomplish today.
Discuss these briefly. Encourage them to use a lesson from the day to use in their classroom.
Page 2, Section 1 of notebook.

4. “We must constantly remind ourselves that the ultimate purpose of evaluation is to enable students to evaluate themselves.” Arthur Costa
We want the children to become their own best evaluators. You cannot do it all. The process of the writing and the revising and evaluating is a very valuable learning process.

5. What Are the Traits of a Good Sandwich?
Write on your “sandwich paper” in your packet what characteristics you think makes a really goooooood sandwich.
Page 141 in Creating Writers
Analogy between the sandwich and the characteristics of writing or traits. The traits are just the characteristics of good writing just like lettuce is a characteristic of your sandwich. (Nice and crispy)

6. 6-Trait Writing Ideas Voice Organization Word Choice Sentence Fluency
Conventions
Presenters refer to page in Creating Writers
Note that these are the 6 traits. We are going to address Ideas and Voice today and talk briefly about Conventions.Later you will have the opportunity to learn about Word Choice, Sentence Fluency and Organization.
The order for teaching
Ideas
Voice
Organization
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions-to be used throughout all the traits
There is a sheet in the packet that explains each of the traits, “Qualities Teachers Look for in Writing”. Address each of the traits as you go and discuss each one a little.
Remember that one is the thread that runs through them all and that is conventions. Let’s talk about that now so we all have the same idea of what conventions really are.

7. Conventions
“Anything a copy editor might deal with under the heading of conventions: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing, grammar and usage. The whole purpose of this trait is to enhance readability-to make information enticing and accessible.”
Have the teachers look in their handout for “Gulpers and Vipor Fish”. The instructions are to read and count all the errors focusing on conventions. Then have them volunteer their numbers.
The correct # is 30.
Even we do not edit alike or 100% correctly.
Let’s look at the writing process and see where conventions fit into this process.(Refer to handout, the Wheel about the writing process). .
Conventions are covered in the TEKS
TEKS 4.16, 4.17, 4.18, 4.19, 4.20
5.16, 5.17, 5.18, 5.19, 5.20

8. SCORING CONVENTIONS Look for what is done well. Look beyond spelling.
Do not overreact.
Do not consider neatness or handwriting when assigning a score.
Spelling is important but not everything. How is the punctuation? The paragraphing? The grammar?
Not just the mistakes Balance the two.
One mistake-or two or three- cannot spoil the whole performance. Highly doubtful if there are several editors in one room that they would all find the exact same mistakes. OVERALL: how well does the student control and use conventions to make meaning and organizational structure clear?
May be important but these are separate issues that we do not address within this scoring guide. Writing beautifully and editing to make it conventionally correct and communicative are different skills altogether.
Look at the Rubric “Simple 6-Point Scale for Conventions” in the handout to help with the idea of the scoring.

9. The Two Faces of Conventions
Creative and Personal
There’s almost
nothing left for
the copy
editor
to do.
Informational
The text is easy
to process and
visually
appealing.
Refer to handout “Conventions…”
Discuss the bullets on each side.

10. WRITING PROCESS: where CONVENTIONS fit?
Prewriting
Publishing
Drafting
Conventions & Layout
Editing
Sharing
Revising

11. from “Charlie” THAT THAT IS IS THAT THAT IS NOT IS NOT THAT IS IT ISNT
This is it, isn’t it
Often we fail to see quality of writing due to conventions or that conventions are so poor.

12. Good assesssment starts with a vision of success.
Why Use 6 Trait Writing?
Good assesssment starts with a vision of success.
Rick Stiggins
Student-Centered Classroom Assessment

13. 6-Trait Writing is all about revision!
Why Use 6-Trait Writing?
Common Language
Consistency in assessment
The “how to” students need to revise
These are here because 6-Trait writing provides these 3 things.
Common language-for the teacher to use with kids and the kids to use with other kids.
Consistency in assessment- give the kids the rubrics and they then know the expectations for their writing.
“how to” Allow the children to learn to revise and take responsibility for evaluating their own work.
Revision is at the heart of the matter in 6-Trait.
6-Trait Writing is all about revision!

14. From Donald Graves’ book, A Fresh Look at Writing
“Unless we show children how to read their writing, their work will not improve. If we help children take knowledgeable responsibility in reading their own work, we not only help them be effective lifelong writers, but we shift the responsibility for their writing to them, where it belongs.”
Kids needs to do their own editing and revising. Unless they are allowed to find their own mistakes they will not get better.
Discuss this quote and the meaning of editing and really how it goes with the conventions and how it is different from revising.

15. Things to DO today Create a class of good critics.
Give students the editing pen and proofreading symbols.
Create a classroom where students learn to find topics.
Train students to assess their own work and be in charge of their own revision. Make reflection a habit in your class.
1. Give them guidelines and model, model, model.
Show them patterns of errors and focus on correction area. They need more practice than you.
Find ways to make THEM keep track of it. There can be a list or a writer’s notebook where they keep track. They need to know their own topics of interest.
4. Train students to assess their own work and be in charge of their own revision

16. Things You DON’T Have To Do Today
Read every paper your students write.
Correct every grammatical error your students make.
Pick topics for your students’ assignments.
Be the expert that fixes all your students’ work!
Give yourself permission to do these things. It is the way you will make it through the writing workshop with more enjoyment.

17. Six Ways to Teach Traits
Introduce the concept of traits-and traits themselves.
Surround students with writers’ language.
Teach students to be assessors of their own and others’ work - use self-assessment in revising and setting goals.
Use written works to illustrate strengths and weaknesses in writing.
Use focused lessons to help students develop skills in each trait.
Teach students to do focused revision.
Found on page 140 in Creating Writers. May elaborate on each point.
Refer to the handout “To Teach the Traits” and talk about these both.

18. How Does This Fit Together?
Teach writer’s workshop.
Introduce the traits which enhance the writing process.
Traits help students understand modes or forms of writing.
REFER TO PAGE 132 IN CREATING WRITERS
Writing process lays a foundation for using traits. The traits do not EVER replace this process. Writing traits provide a language to strength the process foundation and give students possibilities for revision.
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Publishing
Students need to understand these components before they can make good use of the trait writing.
Traits are not a writing approach in themselves, they are language used to describe good writing and they mainly support revision.
2. The traits are not an approach to writing in themselves, they are the language used to describe good writing and used mainly to support revision.
The modes or forms come last because the traits vary across the modes. REFER to page 133 on Creating Writers
Kids need to know “What is their purpose?” and “Who is their audience?”
Refer to the handout of “Ten Signs of an Effective Writing Program” and discuss these and what they would look like in your classroom.

19. Qualities of Good Writing
Refer to the NOTES page on Redwoods and Mouse Alert.
Add any good qualities of writing you think might be appropriate now.
Discuss in a small group your new additions.
Refer in handout to the 6-Traits cards with the teachers and students rubrics. Discuss after last bullet.
Refer to the handout, “Options for Redwoods and Mouse Alert for ideas.

20. Correlations to TAKS Preliminary TAKS Rubric: Organization Development
Conventions
Voice
Focus & Coherence
Information from CREST, 2002
The composition should not be based on a central or controlling idea.
All elements of the rubric are related. It is the only to get depth of writing.
The draft rubric will be finalized when ALL field testing has been analyzed. School districts will be trained in scoring in the Fall 2002.
Focus on the basics of the rubric. Must give many writing experiences, then get away from the focus on state assessment during class time.

21. HOW DO YOU KNOW IT’S WORKING?
When trait instruction is working, you will-
Lose weight effortlessly
Acquire unbelievable energy
Save money
Improve your memory
Eliminate wrinkles
After the slide, refer to the handout, “6 Tips for Success in Conventions”. Discuss
SORRY-just kidding.