Transcript Presentation

6+1 Writing Traits
Not
• A writing curriculum.
• A quick fix, silver bullet, formula, magic
potion, etc.
• Successful in classrooms where
worksheets matter more than critical
thinking.
IS
• A common language to talk about writing.
• A shared vision of what “good” looks like in
all forms of writing.
• An assessment tool for teachers and
students.
• A model for use in a writing-process
classroom.
Writing Workshop Classroom
Craft
Lessons
(Mini lessons)
Guided Writing
(Practice Own Work)
Individual Conferencing
-Faux grading-look for revision/changes
-Only a couple of big final products
-Don’t grade things in writing folder
-Revise, don’t recopy
Hierarchy
Writing Traits
Model- inside
the writing process
Writing Process
Writing
Workshop
Writing
Process
Writing
Traits
Process/Steps for writing
(mother)
Writing Workshop
Format- structure for
organization
Writing Process
Pre-write- GO, brainstorming, research…
Draft- get ideas down on paper.
Share/Feedback- labor intensive.
Revise- changes content (6 Traits).
Edit- changes readability (mechanics/conventions)
Publish- finished copy
6 Traits
I- Idea
O- Organization
V- Voice
W- Word Choice
S- Sentence Fluency
C- Conventions ! ?
I- Ideas
Clear focus
Fresh/original
Learn something important
Writing makes sense
Includes interesting thoughtful details
Teaching the Ideas Trait
1. Selecting the idea (topic)
→ Making old ideas new- take simple ideas and work
with them in new and clever ways.
(Eat your vegetables, How the leopard got spots,
Kindergarten- Treasure Box activity)
2. Narrowing the idea (focus)
→R.A.F.T.S.- Role of the writer, Audience, Format,
Topic, Strong verb.
Role: Kidney
Audience: Your host/body
Format: Letter
Topic: What you need to stay healthy
Strong verb: Explain
You are a kidney in a human body. Write a letter to
your host to explain what you need to stay healthy.
Teaching the Ideas Trait cont..
3. Elaborating on the idea (development)
→ Ask Me a Question
→ Leave it out
→ Building Blocks
When: Last night, the dog howled.
Size: Last night, the enormous dog howled.
Name a place: Last night, the enormous dog howled outside my
house.
Add a name: Last night, the neighbor’s enormous dog howled outside my
window.
4. Discovering the best information to convey the idea
(details)
→ Show me, Don’t Tell Me
Organization
Herding Cats
Logical structure or pattern of the writing.
Points to remember:
‫٭‬An inviting introduction gets the reader started and gives clues
about what is to come.
‫ ٭‬Thoughtful transitions link key points and ideas.
‫ ٭‬Sequencing should be logical, purposeful, and effective.
‫ ٭‬Pacing- speeding up for wide angle and slowing down for closeups- should be under control.
‫ ٭‬A satisfying conclusion wraps it all up, yet leaves the reader with
something to wonder about.
Teaching Organization
Arranged so ideas shine, not in your face!
• Writing the introduction (a lead that hooks the reader)
– Share student leads
– Share examples from literature
∙ A thought-provoking question to make the reader wonder
∙ A little “sip” of the conclusion to get the reader’s attention and
pique his/her interest.
∙ A funny story or personal anecdote to set a humorous or
individual tone.
∙ A list of main points to introduce the topic in a serious, logical,
and straightforward manner.
∙ A dramatic, sweeping, or eye-opening statement.
∙ An expert quotation to establish credibility from the start.
∙ The student’s own angle-one that readers have never seen
before.
Teaching Organization cont…
• Developing the middle of the paper ( a core that is
logically organized and contains clearly linked
details.
- Organize by space
-Organize by Time
-Organize by Content
-Organize by perspective
• Writing the conclusion (an ending that leaves the
reader satisfied)
•A Profound Thought
• A Surprise
• A Quote
• A Challenge
Voice
• Energy (not personality)-Tone of the writing fits the
purpose and audience.
• Point of view
• Engaging (choices of voices)- The writer is excited
about the topic.
• Powerful- The writer and the reader have a powerful
connection.
• Passionate- The writing creates a reaction in the reader.
• Full of conviction- The writer takes risks.
Teaching Voice
• Speaks directly to the reader on an emotional level.
-Poetry or songs
• Experiments with style to match the purpose and
audience.
- collect short passages with a distinctive voice;
share and compare.
• Taking risks by revealing the person behind the
words.
- get students out of their comfort zone by taking
another point of view ( Cinderella, The Three Bears.)
Word Choice
• Words paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
• Just the “right words” make the message crystal
clear.
• Words are accurate, specific, and powerful.
• Active verbs add energy and punch
– She slowly walked into the room.
– She sauntered into the room.
• The words/phrases have a marvelous sound
- Onomatopoeia
- Alliteration
Teaching Word Choice
• Striking Language: Sharpening students’ descriptive powers.
- Painting a picture with words.
• Exact Language: Using lively verbs, precise nouns, and
accurate modifiers.
- The game of connotations
- Active and Passive Verbs
• Natural Language: Making it sound authentic.
- Your Personal Top Ten
- The Bad Writing Contest
- Remember When?
• Beautiful Language: Choosing colorful words and phrases.
- Expanding
small phrases to bigger ones.
- Yummy Words (nibble, gobble, snarf, munch)
- Recreate an old song or story (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Sentence Fluency
• The words and phrases read smoothly and
rhythmically.
• Smooth phrasing.
• The sentences are correctly constructed.
• The sentences begin differently.
• The sentences vary in length.
Teaching Sentence Fluency
• Establishing flow, rhythm, and cadence.
- Using fragments to add rhythm.
• Varying sentence length and structure.
- Slinky City
-End with a Noun
-Stretching Sentences
• Constructing sentences that enhance
meaning.
- Using punctuation for emphasis
! Teaching Conventions?
• Wait!
- Have students hold off editing till final draft.
• Set Aside Editing time.
- Age appropriate task
-Reward them for going back to edit.
• Ask Why?
- “Why did you put a period there?”
• Model.
- Have students help edit work on overhead.
• Keep Writing Tools Handy.
- Have resources handy so students won’t have to go find them.
• Get ‘Em, One by One.
- Have students look for one type of error at a time.
Presentation
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Uniform spacing.
Legible and consistent handwriting.
Appealing use of white space.
Where necessary, bullets, numbers, side
headings, and other markers that help
readers access content.
• Effective integration of text and illustration,
charts, graphs, maps, and tables.