1. Six Traits of Writing for assessment and instruction
Jen Madison
Educational Service Unit No. 6

2. Objectives
score papers, analytically and holistically, according to 6-trait language
apply grade-appropriate strategies to teach and reinforce the 6 traits of writing

3. Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits Responding to Student Writing
August 16, 2010
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

4. What makes writing work?
List one specific characteristics of good writing on each paper.
Work with 3-5 others to classify your characteristics

5. Bell Ringer: Name That Trait!
Ideas / Content
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions

6. 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

7. 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)

9. “…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.
Look within—about building understanding, not necessarily making judgements
(Spandel, 2008, Creating Young Writers, p. 7)

10. What do you notice? I can just see it. I feel like I’m in that car.
I love the line “her eyes were as big as her fists.”
He’s having a good time [most readers assume the writer is male].
I know these people.
Lively!
I sympathize with Mom-- I hate mice too!
I like the pickle jar-- I can even smell the pickles.
Great images-- love Dad backing into the tree and mom in her nightgown.
You get every point of view- even the mouse’s!

11. What do you notice? Boring-- it put me right to sleep. Flat, empty.
Safe.
She was writing just to get it done.
Mechanics are pretty good.
It doesn’t say anything.
The organization isn’t too bad.
What Redwoods? The title doesn’t go with the paper.
She (he?) seems like a nice kid- I want to like it.
It’s not that bad for fourth or fifth grade-- I assume that’s what it is right?

12. Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits Responding to Student Writing
August 16, 2010
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

13. Holistic vs. Analytic Scoring
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
ESU 6,

14. Analytical Scoring: how well the writing works for each trait
Idea Development 5
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

15. Components of rubrics ... Criteria (traits) Performance Levels
Performance Indicators

16. 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

17. Using Rubrics One 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

18. 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.
ESU 6,

19. Objectivity Issues and Sources of Bias
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
What’s one of your pet peeves?
ESU 6,

20. 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.

21. Let’s score papers!  Instructions for scoring
Could be I do it. (Jen model scoring of particular paper/traits.)
We do it. (group scoring, lots of discussion)
You do it. (ind. Scoring & compare)
Need to do both analytic and holistic scoring.

22. 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.

23. A note about grading… Focus on feedback
Recognizing changes & strengths (to replicate)
Providing appropriate instruction & challenges
Discuss problems with grade translations?

24. 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

25. Craft in depth…
Hale, Crafting Writers K-6, p. 45

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

27. Let’s score papers!  Instructions for scoring
Could be I do it. (Jen model scoring of particular paper/traits.)
We do it. (group scoring, lots of discussion)
You do it. (ind. Scoring & compare)
Need to do both analytic and holistic scoring.

28. Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits Responding to Student Writing
August 16, 2010
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

29. 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

30. Ideas Write a Short Piece Be Observers Take Out the Details
Lesson 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?

31. Ideas Zoom-In Graphic Organizers
Lesson 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.”
“Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” --Mark Twain

32. 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.

33. ORGANIZATION: What to look for…
Sense of (Logical) Sequencing
Ability to Group Like Details
Sense of Beginning and Ending
Use of Transitions
Controlled Pacing

34. Organization Give Me Some Tips! The End? Classify & Sequencing
Lesson Ideas
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!

35. Give Me Some Tips! St. Therese
Her childhood
Her adulthood
Her spiritual legacy
Her canonization

36. VOICE: Look for the following…
Emotion / Passion
Enthusiasm for Writing
Individuality

37. Voice in Informational writing
“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].”
Confident
Knowledge-driven
Inspiring

38. Voice Read aloud from works that have strong voice.
Lesson Ideas
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.

39. 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

40. Word Choice Brainstorm alternatives
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
Note to a friend: “I had a good time at your house.”
Older: Is this appropriate?
--write two versions of one note, meant for different audiences (ie. Complaint about school lunches to principal & friend. Which note goes to whom? Which words/phrases gave it away?)

41. Sentence Fluency: What to look for
rhythm
sentence sense
varied sentence beginnings and lengths

42. Sentence Fluency Read fluent passages out loud Lesson Ideas
“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…”

43. Sentence Fluency Chart
Analyze 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

44. 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?

45. Conventions: What to look for
awareness of writing conventions
willingness to experiment
patience to take a second look

46. Your students should ask… (beginning writers)
August 16, 2010
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?

47. Conventions Lesson Ideas 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.

48. 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

49. “Telling is not teaching!"
Modeling and Examples
“Telling is not teaching!"
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

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

51. 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.

52. 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: teens
Format: diary entry
Topic: I wish you understood where I really belong.

53. Agenda Welcome! Reviewing the Traits Responding to Student Writing
August 16, 2010
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

54. A Few Resources
Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWREL). (2007) Trait Writing. Retrieved October 2008 from
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.

55. 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.

56. A Few Resources
Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWREL). (2007) Trait Writing. Retrieved October 2008 from
Spandel, V. (2005). Creating writers: Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction. Fourth Edition. Boston: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon.
ESU 6 Writing Wikispace:
Under construction!

57. Two Stars & a Wish
Please record two of the most important or relevant ideas you heard.
Please record something you wish about this session