Six Traits of Writingfor assessment and instruction

Jen MadisonEducational Service Unit No. 6

jmadison@esu6.org

Objectives score papers, analytically and holistically,

according to 6-trait language

apply grade-appropriate strategies to teach and reinforce the 6 traits of writing

Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits

– Name that Trait!

Responding to Student Writing– Holistic & analytic scoring with rubrics– Recognizing craft techniques

Teaching and Reinforcing the Traits– Language of the trait– Teaching and learning activities

Closure

What makes writing work? List one specific characteristics of good writing on

each paper.

Work with 3-5 others to classify your characteristics

Bell Ringer: Name That Trait!

Ideas / Content

Organization

Voice

Word Choice

Sentence Fluency

Conventions

THE 6+1 TRAITS

Ideas

Organization

Voice

Word Choice

Sentence Fluency

Conventions

Presentation

The heart of the message

The internal structure of the piece

The feeling and conviction of the writer

The precise language chosen to convey

meaning

The rhythm and flow of the language

The mechanical correctness

How the writing looks on the page

Purpose of Traits “an answer to the question: What makes writing

work?” consistent “writer’s language that opens the door

to revision” (a how to for revision) a way to

– organize and clarify good writing instruction– encourage consistent assessment– empower and motivate young writers– encourage thinking skills and self-monitoring

NOT meant to replace instruction of writing process!

(Spandel, Creating Writers, 2005, p. 1-2)

“…the keys to writing well:” Have a strong, clear idea.

– Use details and pictures to paint a picture in year reader’s mind.

Write with authority and voice. Organize your information so that a reader can

follow it. Use words that make sense—and that are lively

as well. Write with fluency and variety—the way good

dancers dance. Make your conventions as strong as you can so

that readers can figure out your message.(Spandel, 2008, Creating Young Writers, p.

7)

Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits

– Name that Trait!

Responding to Student Writing– Holistic & analytic scoring with rubrics– Recognizing craft techniques

Teaching and Reinforcing the Traits– Language of the trait– Teaching and learning activities

Closure

Holistic vs. Analytic Scoring

Holistic

One overall score

Intended to generalize overall effect

Cannot provide specific, needs-based feedback

Used for Statewide Writing Assessment (NeSA-W 4, 8, 11)

Analytic

Each trait scored separately

Provides more detailed feedback to guide instruction and monitor progress

Used for most classroom writing assignments

Idea Development5 • The writing is clear, well-supported or developed, and enhanced by the kind of detail that

keeps readers reading.

• The writer selectively chooses just the right information to make the paper understandable, enlightening and interesting - without bogging down in trivia.

• Details work together to expand the main topic or develop a story, giving the whole piece a strong sense of focus.

• The writer’s knowledge, experience, insight or unique perspective lends the writing a satisfying ring of authenticity.

• The amount of detail is just right - not skimpy, not overwhelming.

3 • The writer has made a solid beginning in defining a topic or mapping out a story line. It is

easy to see where the paper is headed, though more expansion is needed to complete the picture.

• General, global information provides the big picture - and makes the reader long for specifics.

• Well-focused information blends with repetitive points, trivia or meanderings.

• The writer draws on some personal experience - but too often settles for generalities or clichéd thinking.

• Unneeded information may eat up space that should have gone to important details. Where’s the balance?

1 Sketchy, loosely focused information forces the reader to make inferences. Readers will likely notice more than one of these problems:

• The main topic is still unclear, out of focus - or not yet known, even to the writer.

• Missing, limited or unrelated details require the reader to fill in many blanks.

• Lists of “factlets” may be substituted for true development.

• Everything seems as important as everything else.

Analytical Scoring: how well the writing works for each trait

Using Rubrics:One Way to Respond &

Assess Many formats and varieties

– Thoughtfully select traits/indicators for assessment informational/technical writing creative/personal writing

Have students help create indicators Provide student friendly versions

– Engage students in activities using rubrics– Engage students in discussions using real student

writing Be consistent

Using RubricsOne Way to Respond &

Assess Always read the entire paper first Refer to the scoring guide often Stronger or weaker? Score each trait separately Remember:

– 1 indicates beginning performance, not failure– top score represents strengths and proficiency,

not perfection Watch out for rater bias

Objectivity Issues and Sources of Bias

Physical characteristics Personal reaction to particular tones, content,

or students Length Positive-negative leniency

– Tendency to be too hard or too easy on everyone Fatigue Skimming Sympathy “Self-scoring”

– Score the writer’s work, not your skill of putting the puzzle pieces together.

Sources of rater bias– Pet peeves, such as….

– Big LOOpy writing (with stars and hearts)– Teeny, tiny writing– Writing in ALL CAPITALS– Tons! Of exclamation (!!!) points!!!!– – Mixing it’s and its– The End (like I couldn’t tell)– Total absence of paragraphs

Objectivity Issues and Sources of Bias

What’s one of your pet peeves?

Exploring the Traits Through Student Writing Read the proficient level descriptions for the trait

– Underline/highlight the words that best define the characteristics of proficient

– Mark (?) descriptors requiring clarification

Read the writing thoroughly:– Look for strengths– Score each trait– Prepare to discuss reasons for your score

Practice responding to the student:– Recognize or model (provide an example) of the positive

technique – Name it, describe it, and say why it’s good.

Exploring the Traits Through Student Writing Read the proficient level descriptions for the trait

– Underline/highlight the words that best define the characteristics of proficient

– Mark (?) descriptors requiring clarification

Read the writing thoroughly:– Look for strengths– Score each trait– Prepare to discuss reasons for your score

Practice responding to the student:– Recognize or model (provide an example) of the positive

technique – Name it, describe it, and say why it’s good.

Recognizing Craft Techniques:

One Way to Respond Be a collector of the recognizable, replicable, small things

that effective writers do.

Example or Description

Specific Craft Why is it good?

I was sad. inside sentences reader can understand how the author feels (ideas, voice)

boats, trains, airplanes, and cars

using commas in a series

reader understands that items are separate (conventions)

Band-Aid box brand name gives an extremely details image in only a few words; can also evoke familiarity or nostalgia (ideas, word choice, voice)

Hale, Crafting Writers K-6, 2008

Craft in depth…

Hale, Crafting Writers K-6, p. 45

Holistic Scoring: how well the writing works overall (all traits)

Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits

– Name that Trait!

Responding to Student Writing– Holistic & analytic scoring with rubrics– Recognizing craft techniques

Teaching and Reinforcing the Traits– Language of the trait– Teaching and learning activities

Closure

IDEAS: Look for the following… Details

– Close-up details (e.g., veins in leaves, facial expressions)

– Signs of movement– Sensory details– Support of ideas

Clarity– Regardless of

delivery method Accuracy

– Retelling Original Thinking Quality vs.

Quantity

Ideas Write a Short Piece

– Invite students to list questions they would like answered. Tell them you will will answer only 5, so “choose carefully!”

– Discuss results: “How would it be different if…”

Be Observers– Make lists– Question/Classify: “Which are most

interesting? Most important?”

Take Out the Details– Take the details out of a known story. – “What’s missing? What makes the original

better?

Lesson Ideas

Ideas Zoom-In

– “What happens if you zoom it on just this part? What does it look like? What is important/interesting?”

– Essential Idea: Using specific details helps the reader create an image. (Showing vs. Telling)

Graphic Organizers– Make expected content explicit– Model transfer from organizer to

writing

Snapshot– “I want to see it, like a photo in an

album.”

Lesson Ideas

“Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.”

--Mark Twain

Teaching the trait of Ideas Talk about where ideas come

from.

Model differences between generalities and good details.

Read aloud from books with striking detail or strong imagery.

Use questions to expand and clarify a main idea.

ORGANIZATION: What to look for…

Sense of (Logical) Sequencing Ability to Group Like Details Sense of Beginning and Ending

Use of Transitions Controlled Pacing

Organization Give Me Some Tips!

– Ask for students’ help to brainstorm/research and classify details.

The End?– Omit the ending to a piece. Ask students to

make up their own.

Classify & Sequencing– Provide opportunities to classify and put items in

an order. Discuss!

Provide models / frames.– When they can independently follow the frame,

challenge them to spice it up!

Lesson Ideas

Give Me Some Tips!St. Therese

Her childhood

Her adulthood

Her spiritual legacy

Her canonization

VOICE: Look for the following…

Emotion / Passion

Enthusiasm for Writing

Individuality

Voice in Informational writing

Confident Knowledge-driven Inspiring

“The Cosmos is a very big place.”

“If we were randomly inserted into the Cosmos, the chance that we would find ourselves on or near a planet would be less than one in a billion trillion trillion (1033, a one followed by 33 zeroes). In everyday life such odds are called compelling. Worlds are precious [1980, p. 5].”

Voice Write voice IN or OUT

– Take the voice out of a passage and have students put their own in.

Bored vs. Excited?– What do these look like? (Students demonstrate kinesthetically.)– “I want to see an ‘excited’ face in my mind when I read your

writing.”– Show them two sample paragraphs using the same facts. Which

was written by an “excited” writer? How can you tell?

Read aloud from works that have strong voice.

Help students identify an audience.

Lesson Ideas

Word Choice: What to look for

awareness of language awareness of different ways to say things love of favorite words

memorable words/phrases accurate / appropriate use of words

Word Choice Study connotation (subtleties of word variation)

– Put related words on a continuum– said, whispered, barked, exclaimed, shouted,

screamed, commented murmured, declared, mentioned, hollered

– Apply movement to variations of verbs & discuss differences

Trash overused words & display interesting, lively, or content appropriate words– Use wall displays, bulletin boards, etc.

Brainstorm alternatives– “I’m tired of the word good. Help me out. What else

could I say?”

Lesson Ideas

Sentence Fluency: What to look for

rhythm

sentence sense

varied sentence beginnings and lengths

Sentence Fluency Read fluent passages out loud

– “Do you like the way this sounds? – “How many different ways does this writer begin sentences?”– “Describe the lengths of the sentences. What effect does this

create?”

Mentor Sentences– Collect powerful sentences to use as models of specific

techniques– (prepositional phrases…a strong way to add detail) “Over

bushes, under trees, between fence posts, through the tangled hedge she swoops untouched” (Davies, 2004, p. 12).

Sentence Building Game– For a given topic, provide a sentence beginning for students to

complete.– (Cats) “In the morning…; Once, my cat…; My cat is…;

Because my cat is silly, he/she…”

Lesson Ideas

Sentence Fluency ChartAnalyze the mode,

genre, author’s style:

How long are sentences?

How do sentences begin?

What is the verb?

What kind of sentences are used?

# of words first 3 words

Your students should ask…

(beginning writers) Did I leave spaces between words? Does my writing go from left to right? Did I use a title? Did I leave margins on the sides? At the bottom? Did I use capital letters? Why? Did I use periods? How about question marks? Did I do my best on spelling? Could another person read this?

Conventions: What to look for

awareness of writing conventions

willingness to experiment

patience to take a second look

Your students should ask…

(beginning writers) Did I leave spaces between words? Does my writing go from left to right? Did I use a title? Did I leave margins on the sides? At the bottom? Did I use capital letters? Why? Did I use periods? How about question marks? Did I do my best on spelling? Could another person read this?

Conventions Start small (and use the word “editing”).

– Name, spacing, etc.

Teach & model (I do it. We do it. You do it.)– Editing marks– Editing with text that’s not their own– Editing their own before publishing with scaffolding– Process for spelling a word (i.e., spell it the way it

sounds, look it up, ask someone else)

Scavenger Hunts– “Who can find a…”– “Why did the author use this?”

Explain importance of conventions/editing.

Lesson Ideas

Strategies for Better Instruction TEACH the language to speak and think like writers. MODEL specific craft techniques.

– Name it. Describe it. Explain why it’s good.

READ, SCORE, and JUSTIFY scores on anonymous sample papers.

Provide focused PRACTICE for REVISION. WRITE. (Yes, you.) READ and DISCUSS strengths and weaknesses in all kinds of

writing. DEMYSTIFY writing in your class. Provide thoughtful, effective PROMPTS

Modeling and Examples

Write with your students!– Live writing– Think-aloud– Allow students to contribute to revision decisions – Exaggerated writing

Use appropriate literature– Passages from known literature– Make the text visual

Use student writing– Stress strengths, specific skills/craft techniques

R.A.F.T.S: a way to prompt Role of the writer

– helps writer decide on point of view and voice.

Audience – reminds writer he/she must communicate ideas to someone else: helps

determine content and style

Format of the material – helps writer organize ideas and employ format conventions for letters,

interviews, story problems, and other kinds of writing

Topic or subject – helps writer zero in on main idea and narrow the focus

Strong verb – directs writer to the writing purpose, e.g. create, defend, analyze, persuade,

evaluate, etc.

Building R.A.F.T.S. Decide on each component. For example:

– Role: Plant– Audience: Sky– Format: Letter– Topic: Why you need rain and sunshine– Strong verb:Explaining

Write out the assignment in paragraph form, underlining the key components. Most rafts begin with “You are…”– You are a vegetable plant in a garden. Write a letter to

the sky to explain why you need rain and sunshine.

Building R.A.F.T.S. Use writing to help students explore a concept

from different perspectives and through different formats.

– Role– Audience– Format– Topic

Differentiate:– Let students choose one or more components.– Raise Complexity – choose items farther from natural fit– Moderate/Lower Complexity – choose items closer to

natural fit

(Wormelli, R.)

Example: Role: semicolon

Audience: teensFormat: diary entryTopic: I wish you understood

where I really belong.

Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits

– Name that Trait!

Responding to Student Writing– Holistic & analytic scoring with rubrics– Recognizing craft techniques

Teaching and Reinforcing the Traits– Language of the trait– Teaching and learning activities

Closure

A Few Resources Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWREL). (2007). 6+1 Trait

Writing. Retrieved October 2008 from http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/department.php?d=1.

Spandel, V. (2008). Creating young writers: Using the six traits to enrich writing process in primary classrooms. Boston: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon.

Spandel, V. (2005). Creating writers: Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction. Fourth Edition. Boston: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon.

Basic Instructional Plan

Compare strong & weak writing examples for each trait.

Provide ample practice rewriting weak samples

into strong samples.

Have students score sample papers.

A Few Resources Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWREL). (2007). 6+1 Trait

Writing. Retrieved October 2008 from http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/department.php?d=1.

Spandel, V. (2005). Creating writers: Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction. Fourth Edition. Boston: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon.

ESU 6 Writing Wikispace: http://esu6writing.wikispaces.com/– Under construction!

Two Stars & a Wish

Please record two of the most important or relevant ideas you heard.

Please record something you wish about this session