Writing Portfolios

•Writing Standards•Provides a structure/steps/starting point•Assures students that changes/errors can be made•Gives reasons for revision•Develops accountability

Why Should We Teach the Writing Process?

“First you think, then you write. Then you write some more. Finally you get to read it to someone and make it better. Then you turn it in but sometimes it comes back anyway.” Second grader Kayla’s insight on the writing process

Prewriting(before writing)

Don’t worry about

good or bad ideas

yet!

Don’t worry about

spelling or grammar

yet1

Warm up those fingers

and jump start your

brain!

Write about what you

know or care

about!

Revision – Using the traits Editing – Cleaning It Up

• Revision Think of revision as taking the idea and moving it along, making it clear, adding interesting and important details, organizing it clearly and effectively, establishing a voice that matches the audience, using the most interesting and accurate words, putting those words into phrases that flow, and sentences that tell the meaning.

• Editing has a predetermined set of rules (grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, paragraphing) .Think of editing as cleaning up the house. Clean up the clutter, straighten and dust. Put the house in order.

6+1 Traits of Writing: the Complete Guide

They’re different

steps!

Self – revise/edit, peer revise/edit, teacher revise/edit

Revise – not Necessarily Rewrite

“I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.” James Michener

• Title/name/date• Use proofreading

marks• Check spelling• Check

punctuation• Check

capitalization• Does it need to

be indented?• Check grammar• Legible writing

ED

IT –

CO

NV

EN

TIO

NS

HELP KIDS WHEN:They have already tried to fix something but can’t.They haven’t been introduced to content.It is keeping them from progressing.

OTHER TIPS:•Teach grammar/conventions in context (with their writing – not just isolated rules )•Ask what type of error to look for•Correct in their presence and provide justification.•Correction improves communication

TRY NOT TO:Take papers homeMake corrections on final papersCorrect publiclyAsk if it sounds/looks rightTrack errors/things right as grading system

Evaluating

•Reflecting and assessing what has been written•Using the Rubrics•Student read aloud•Peer Conference•Teacher Conference

Publishing

•Final Copy (best writing)•Add illustrations, cover•Make it public•Share your work (with another student, your class, the library, another class)

What is the 6 + 1 Trait Model?•Developed by teachers, it is a set of criteria describing the qualities of good writing at different levels of achievement. •Not a curriculum – supports the writing process•A common vision of what “good” looks like and provides smaller pieces to work with.•A foundation/a language for improving the REVISION process (usually the weakest link in writing process).•Better than “Good Job” or B+. •Self-assessment is a powerful tool

Presentation

6 +

1

Not All the Traits at One Time• Especially K-2 – focus on ideas, organization,

conventions• Writing process - not really separate either – separate

them to make it easier to deal with all of them.• Real writers think about more than one trait at the

same time. When they revise ideas, the voice also improves; when they alter the wording, that change affects fluency, and so on.

• Writing is a unified whole, but thinking about it in components makes something very BIG easier to deal with, to understand and put into practice.

Do you….• Have students brainstorm? Do research? Make lists? Do interviews? • Use sensory details? Pick out favorite details? • Work on making the main message crystal clear?

You’re teaching ideas!

• Have students organize information? Look for patterns? • Have students write more than one lead? More than one conclusion?

• Stress beginning, middle and end?• Review transition and time order words? • Help students think how order helps make information interesting?

You’re teaching organization!

Already Teaching the Traits

• Identify the audience? Think about what the audience already knows? Wants to know?

• Adjust the voice/tone for the audience? • Help students find their individual voice?• Help students to leave their personal mark on a piece of writing? • Make sure voice/tone matches purpose? (e.g., business letter vs.

narrative)?

You’re teaching voice!

• Stretch your students’ knowledge of word meanings? • Explore how words are used in the literature you read?• Keep lists of favorite and least favorite words? • Brainstorm alternatives for “tired” words? • Encourage students to teach YOU new words?

You’re teaching word choice!

DO YOU…

Do you….• Read aloud to students? Read often - and from a variety of sources?• Encourage students to read their own work aloud? • Check sentence beginnings for variety? • Show students how to vary sentence length?• Use poetry/music to show rhythm and flow?

You’re teaching sentence fluency!

• Ask students to proofread their work? • Model and use dictionaries, spell checkers or other resources? • Teach students to use and post editors’ symbols? • Provide opportunities for students to practice editing on text that is not

their own? Model editing using your own writing? • Practice editing daily - if only for a few minutes?• Post the 100 most frequently used words for easy spelling

reference?

You’re teaching conventions!

Teaching 6 + 1 Traits (K-2)

•Don’t teach in isolation•Use Literature (wordless books)•Use Sample Pieces

http://www.thetraits.org/index.phphttp://www.writingfix.com/http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/

Ways to Review 6+1 Traits (Grades 3 and up)

• Make posters (use rubrics)• Compose poems/rap songs• Randomly call off descriptors from the rubric

and have students identify the trait• “Good Writing” Lists• Use published works – have students score

the traits using the rubrics.

Some more ideas . . .• Review a recipe (organization)• Travel brochure (word choice, voice)• Menu (organization and word choice)• Game instructions (organization)• Poem/Music (fluency, voice)• Social Studies/Science text (organization,

ideas)• The preview of a book’s contents (ideas)

Writing Across the Curriculum• Writing is thinking on paper. Anyone who thinks

clearly should be able to write clearly – about any subject at all. (William Zinsser)

• Early education – reading is essential /Adult life writing is essential

• NEW STANDARD: Maintain a science notebook that includes observations, data, diagrams and explanations.

• NEW STANDARD: Use written/oral communication to express mathematical ideas precisely. Express answers clearly in verbal and numerical form.

Explain it to Me – In Writing

PROBLEM: 7/12 + 9/12 = 12/16

•Possible Assumption: Knows how to add fractions but needs help with placement of numerator /denominator.•Teacher asks for written explanation.•Student’s first response: “We never do this in math – this is writing.”•Student’s written response: First, I took twelve then took seven out of it then nine. I took seven away from nine.•Needs a lot more help with fractions.

Content-Area Writing – Casual Writing

• Most of our writing (lists, notes, e-mails)• Brainstorming, free writing, journal writing, log

writing, organizing thoughts• Taking Notes – teach a variety of strategies (skeletal

notes, split page, note-taking cues, summary note-taking)

• Ineffective Note –Taking (instructor’s notes, transparencies)

• Lists (easy task and stresses use of details)• What did you write? Why did you write it?

Content-Area Writing – Semi-Formal

• Developing ideas beyond brainstorming• Essay questions• Summaries• Reaction Papers• Fiction with Facts

Content-Area Writing – Formal• Traditional School Report/Research report• Write like the Pros• All You Can Write Buffet Table• Inquiry Writing

Think about how you could embed writing in other

curricular areas. Share with the group.

Scoring with Samples• Provide practice – at least once with every

trait. • What does a “5” or “1” look and sound like?

(use extremes first).• Students are usually good scorers. However,

they need to learn the language to tell you why and what to do to make it stronger.

• Small groups (Rally Table, Round Table) or whole group (revise a paper using student suggestions)

This is good – for a 2nd grader!

• The scoring guides for each trait define good writing, whether it’s by a third grader or an eleventh grader. The trait of ideas, for example, needs a focus, interesting details, and provides a central theme – REGARDLESS of AGE.

• A GOOD PAPER HAS THE SAME EMBEDDED QUALITIES NO MATTER WHAT THE AGE OF THE WRITER.

6+1 Traits of Writing: the Complete Guide

How do you fit it in?• Writing time - Language Arts embedded • Center Activity• Use of Mini-lessons• Individual/Small group/Peer Conference• Writing Pieces – Friday deadline?• Organization/Management - Writing Folders• Writer’s Workshop

Writing Resources – 6+1 TraitsK-2:Going Deep with 6 Trait Language, Wee Can Write, Traits of Good Writing, Seeing with New Eyes

3-5:Going Deep with 6 Trait Language, Traits of Good Writing, Using Picture Books to Teach Writing, 6 + 1 Traits of Writing

Videos: Each video is 8 minutes long and provides an overview of the trait along with a reading sample.

Technology: Kidspiration

Websites (see list)