How to Introduce the 6-Traits to your students.

One recurring question about teaching with the 6 traits is: “How do I go about introducing traits to my class?” This is a first draft of a lecture I'm developing for my online class: Teaching and Assessing Writing with the 6-Traits.

Establishing the writing process as the basis for instruction. It’s always (IMHO) Writing Process first, then the traits. You will find this assertion in Spandel & Culham’s works as well.

It does make sense to teach the traits in conjunction with the writing process. The pre-writing phase of the traits is the perfect place to hammer home the importance of Ideas in writing. Pre-writing is when a writer finds the ideas that light them up. For this reason, voice is another important concept to teach as part of pre-writing. We know that voice flows when writers are passionate about their topics. A good topic springs from sound pre-writing activities mated with the understanding of the trait of voice.

Yeah, but what do I do on Monday Morning?

When starting at the beginning of the year I introduced traits to my middle-schoolers sequentially: ideas, voice, word choice, organization, sentence fluency I gave about 3 weeks to a trait.

We'd practice each new trait's core concepts in many small chunks. Writing examples, working with contrasting examples, all of the methods I discuss in the 6-traits online class, plus all of the methods shared by the world wide group of dedicated teachers in the class.

After introduction and practice of a trait, we move on to the next trait.

Seize Teachable Moments

If a chance to talk about another trait presents itself while you are ‘in deep’ with the current trait, go ahead: do it. Don't be afraid to quickly introduce another trait. If you’re introducing ideas, it’s a good idea to talk about voice etc. You don’t have to do a mini lesson or go into depth, but say enough to be appropriate for the moment. This creates a foundation for the concepts to come.

Use 6-Traits Posters

I had traits concepts up around the room in poster format to refer to as needed. Sometimes just walking over to the poster and touching it as you talk is enough to set the pattern for kids. You'll notice kids glancing at the posters and explanations. They know where to look to get the bullet points of the concept. Constant coaching on the concepts is the way to go.

Teach & Re-Teach
Like we do in our online class, each time I started teaching the concepts of a new trait, I would refer back to the previous traits, while foreshadowing those to come. It's recursive practice, teach and reteach throughout the year.

Traits and the Writing Process Work Together

This recursive loop of presenting the traits is similar to the way the writing process works. Pre-writing leads to drafting; drafting reveals the first rush of ideas and voice.

It's at this point that revision should enter the process, working a first draft up to a second draft is more than fixing the spelling and making things neat, yet it's often at this point that the writing process breaks down.

Revision!

• Kids don't know what to do.
• Teachers lack the vocabulary to provide specific and focused feedback.

Understanding how to spot and improve traits in writing provides a way to revise the writing and keep the process evolving. Understanding the traits powers up the writing process by providing entry points for revision.

Revision!

So often, kids (and teachers) think revision is just fix the spelling and punctuation and write it over neatly.

Save intense focus on conventions and presentation to the publishing stage of the writing process and dive into the meat of the process by learning to revise using word choice, organization, and sentence fluency. This will blow the embers of first draft ideas and voice into full flame.

Waiting for Eureka Moments

When you first start teaching with the traits you wonder if all this work is really worth it. You have to go at it (initially at first) on pure faith. Over the course of the first year it will come together. It will take faith and patience.

I'll admit it felt miraculous when I could see that my kids really were understanding things at a depth! This ability to apply traits concepts to their writing usually showed up around Christmas!

I recall a true eureka moment as I listened to previously inarticulate kids from my toughest class (you know the class that won’t jell and you have before or after lunch) speak eloquently about the ideas and voice they heard in the stories being read aloud. Their comments were on point, supportive, and insightful. They were writers helping each other.

At that moment I felt like crying.

At that moment I knew why I’d hung in all these years as a teacher.

It is moments like that I hope I can help you all find!

Dennis

Annenburg Media: National Poetry Month!

Annenburg Media's Learner.org offers Voices and Visions... great online video of poets, poetry, and word smithing in general:

National Poetry Month

> This April, immerse yourself and your students in the hour-long
documentaries of "Voices & Visions"
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/vv71.html>. Featured poets include
Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, and William Carlos
Williams. Several programs are scheduled to air on the Channel in April;
click on "Broadcast Dates" for details.

> Our literary analysis series "Literary Visions"
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/lit72.html> includes seven programs
about different aspects of poetry.

> Consider the historical relevance of American poetry in "American
Passages: A Literary Survey"
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/apass73.html> Program 10, "Rhythms in
Poetry," and Program 15, "Poetry of Liberation."

> Get upper elementary students started with poetry with this lesson
plan <http://learner.org/redirect/april/start74.html> on our Web site
for "Engaging With Literature: A Video Library, Grades 3-5." The page
includes a link to a list of poems suggested for teaching the use of
line breaks, repetition, and other devices.

> Try out different teaching strategies presented in "Teaching
Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades"
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/tml75.html>. Draw inspiration from
the work of Nikki Grimes, whose characters in the novel "Bronx
Masquerade" perform at an "open mike" poetry event at school. Grimes's
poems appear on pages 17-20 of this PDF document
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/tml76.html>.

> "The Expanding Canon: Teaching Multicultural Literature in High
School" offers lessons plans for teaching poetry, like this one
<http://learner.org/redirect/april/canon77.html> for teaching the work
of Lawson Fusao Inada. Hear and read an excerpt of Inada's poem "Drawing
the Line" at <http://learner.org/redirect/april/canon78.html>.

---
Visit our Web site <http://learner.org/redirect/april/vod79.html> for
information about our FREE Video on Demand and other viewing options.

First Grade Word Choice Methods

Terese shared these word choice methods...

In first grade, word choice is continuous since their vocabulary is so limited. In the beginning of the year, we use our five senses to brainstorm adjectives for each sense. I make a chart and add to it throughout the year. That way, the words are always available to them when they write.

As the year progresses, I do a lot of modeling.

I write sentences on the overhead with "overused" words. We begin with the verbs, and try to replace the existing verbs with action verbs. We always try to change forms of the verb "to be" to action verbs.

We then try to add exciting adjectives. Again, this has to be modeled again and again.

We are now at the point of the year where we are progressing to short paragraphs on the overhead and revising them. For first grade, we emphasize strong verbs and adjectives.

We draw pictures of the sentences before we revise and after to emphasize the difference. We are always trying to form a picture in our readers' minds. If my first graders don't learn anything else, all of them will be able to tell you that!

Towards the end of the year, we do a beach unit. (As I live in Delaware, that is where the children's minds are by the end of the year anyway.) In pairs, the students pick an ocean-related animal or object and research it. One of our activities is to write a simile for our topic. Of course, we read many books first for examples. Then, the children make a page for a class book of similes. They draw their topic on the left and the object they are comparing it to on the right. They write the simile below.

In first grade, this project is better towards the end of the year when the children are more comfortable experimenting with writing.

PreK - 1st Grade Traits: Using "Wee Can Write" Workshop

Folks, I'm not affiliated in any way with NWREL. I just admire the great materials and training they offer. Wee Can Write is available online from NWREL.

If you're going to be in the North West, don't miss this training:

Carolyn McMahon, co-author of the bestselling book, Wee Can Write: Using
6+1 Trait® Writing Strategies With Renowned Children's Literature, will be
in Portland, Oregon, on April 5–6, 2007, to facilitate this "learn it
today…use it tomorrow" hands-on workshop. Participants will explore a
variety of activities for teaching and assessing the traits of effective
writing using familiar classic literature titles that young students love.

Teachers, instructional assistants, special education staff, and
administrators of "wee" (beginning) writers—preschool, pre-kindergarten,
kindergarten, Head Start, and first grade students—are encouraged to
attend.

Attendance is limited to maximize the focused, interactive nature of this
workshop so register soon. As an added incentive, register by March 15 and
save $20 on the already low registration rate.

Visit http://www.nwrel.org/events/see/85 for complete information or call
(800) 547-6339, ext. 187.

Learn about other NWREL workshops at http://www.nwrel.org/events/ .

See the new http://www.thetraits.org ...your one-stop resource for all
your 6+1 Trait® Writing needs, including information on trainings,
instruction assistance, and products.

Writing classroom tips...

A conversation between Peter and Paul about writing workshop:

Hi Paul, I appreciate the insightful process that you're following with your students. What level do you teach? It sounds like you've developed a strong workshop approach with your students. Do you introduce and teach one trait at a time?

From your feedback, it sounds like your curriculum has a good sense of continuity? How do you get there?!??! Also, I'm interested in using the white board in my classroom. My sense is that it would facilitate sharing and contribute an invaluable visual component to instruction. How have you used it in your classrooms? Obstacles? Successes? What is the ultimate learning curve? Thanks for any help you can offer. Cheers, Peter

--------------------------

Peter, I teach Language Arts and Geography to 7th graders. Last year I was tasked with starting an 8-week "Creative Writing" elective for them. I had no idea what to do other than try to follow Nancie Atwell's In the Middle*, so that's what I did. Most activities I've discussed here come out of that class.

Setting up the class takes time each quarter, which is frustrating since it ends pretty quickly. On the other hand, I get to learn from my mistakes and start over 3 times in one school year. Halfway through my 7th quarter now, I'm getting the hang of it.

The luxury is that I don't have to fit this stuff in with all the other Language Arts content, since that's a separate class. So the kids have 100% freedom of choice on topic selection. And I don't always have to force a schedule on them (and me) like I do teaching Lang.Arts. Organization is NOT one of my strong points, so I like that the structure can be fairly loose. It doesn't get chaotic since the class size is only 15-16 kids.

I intended to start teaching the traits this year, but I haven't felt like I knew the concept well enough to teach it well. So to answer your question, I haven't introduced the traits at all. BUT, since this online class has started, I can't resist working with things that I'm learning. I'll try to do a complete 6-trait delivery for the 4th quarter.

The interactive whiteboard is fantastic for all content areas, particularly with the Internet. Tomorrow, if my writing class needs help with leads, I can have Dennis's lecture and examples up on the board in seconds. One day while reading, a student asked what a rumble seat was. 30 seconds on Google Images, and they see photos from multiple angles, assorted car models, even a Norman Rockwell print.

I'm fairly neutral about technology, neither Supergeek nor Luddite, and I'm totally comfortable using it. And we have a great ET at the school who makes life bearable for the real technophobes. I don't use it as much as many teachers, but I'd hate to go without it. For me the challenge is to keep adding to my skills and creativity with it, and I confess I've been lazy about that lately.

Have I answered what you were asking? As my students know, I can spew out a lot of words without delivering much. I often finish a response to them by saying, "Is that the longest way you've ever heard someone say, 'I don't know' ?" ~ Paul

(This conversation from the Spring 2007 session of Teaching and Assessing Writing with the 6-Traits was used with the author's permission. )

*For more great books about writing see my Writer's Bookshelf!

Strong Leads: 6 Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why and How)

On the topic of organization and strong leads, Adam offers us some wisdom based on work in journalism:

I've taught several writers how to write leads for newspapers and have used the lesson below to show beginning writers how to shape leads to write in inverted pyramid style.

The 6 Ws are used with a different lead emphasis depending on what the writer feels is the most important aspect of a story.

By focusing on the 6 Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why and How) students will have something quick to grasp if they're stuck. After they've defined what the 6 Ws are they can determine which is the most important or dramatic.

How is the most difficult W of them all – that's why it's W comes at the end instead of the front -- to write because it's hard to get someone to explain the real reasoning behind things.

WHO #1 – Baskin Robins owners will increase the cost of a single scoop ice crime by nearly double Wednesday across the city because of rising milk costs.

WHO #1 – Consumers have until Tuesday before they begin paying nearly double the amount for a single scoop ice cream before a plan kicks in by Baskin Robins to avert a crisis forced by the rising cost of milk.

NOTE: By showing two examples you can also show that there's not necesarily a single answer or approach to a lead emphasis within newswriting.

WHAT – Ice cream will cost almost twice as much across the city beginning Wednesday as Baskin Robins owners will nearly double their prices because of rising milk costs.

WHERE #1– Across the city, ice cream will cost nearly twice as much Wednesday at Baskin Robins 31 Flavor stores as owners cite the rising cost of milk as their reason.

WHERE #2– At Baskin Robins 31 Flavor stores , ice cream will cost nearly twice as much Wednesday as owners cite the rising cost of milk as their reason to hike prices across the city.

WHEN – Tuesday will be the last day single scoop ice cream at Baskin Robins 31 Flavors stores will be sold at its current price as owners plan to implement a price hike across town they say is due to the rising costs of milk.

NOTE: Look for subtle differences -- here it's Tuesday instead of Wednesday -- that will set your writing slightly apart from others and make it unique.

WHY– The rising cost of milk will cause the cost of a single scoop of ice cream to nearly double Wednesday across the city Baskin Robins officials announced today.

HOW – By doubling the cost of single scoop ice cream beginning Wednesday Baskin Robins officials say they'll be able to remain open across the city and avert an ice cream crisis in the wake of rising milk costs.

After explaining the differences in lead emphasis, rip a newspaper apart and ask students to work in small groups with a couple of pages of the newspaper (Sunday edition works best) and decide what the lead emphasis of new stories on pages handed to them are.

This exercise helps "reveal how the sausage is made" and shows them how writing in everyday life can apply to them. They quickly discover that most news stories begin with what or who.

After this, I have the group rewrite a lead using a different lead emphasis. If they pick a Who emphasis lead, then they have to write a lead with an emphasis besides who.

Because all of the facts and materials are provided, nobody can honestly say they couldn't come up with something. This also builds their ability and confidence in editing others work.

For example, "You're lead emphasized who -- Baskin Robins officials -- when the most important news is really the what -- Ice cream costs will double. What has the most effect on people? Maybe that's what you should lead with.

Teaching the six Ws is applicable in a variety of things, police work, emergency services, lawyers, journalist, report to share holders because like the 6 traits for writers the 6 Ws are the basic elements needed in writing.

Primary Ideas: Teach 'em to pick their own topics!

Jennifer shares these great ideas from her 1st Grade Classroom:

I believe that "Good writing" begins with meaningful topic selection. Writers take more ownership when they are in control of their writing topic. It is my responsibility to encourage, model and teach my first graders how to do this. In my classroom, we learn very early what good writers do.

What Good Writers Do:

• Good Writers write about Small Moments from our everyday lives (losing a tooth, dropping our lunch tray, losing a gym shoe, etc.)


• Good writers write about Memories (weddings, injuries, getting a new pet, etc.).


• Good Writers write about things that we are an Expert on (fishing, jumping rope, walking a dog, etc.).


• Good Writers write about things that they have a big feeling about.


• Good Writers write about things that they know a lot of specific information about.


• Good Writers write about things that are real in their lives.


• Good Writers write about things that are important to them.


• Good Writers write about things that they think others will be interested in.
  
  We also learn that: Good Writers are inspired by other writers: An old piece of writing might inspire a new piece of writing. Someone else's writing might inspire a new piece of writing. A good book might inspire a new piece of writing.
  
  My students and I create charts with this type of writing language. These becomes my focus lessons during our Writer's Workshop.
  

Status of the Class

Another great tip to help kids select their writing topic before they actually have the paper & pencil and begin to write about the first random thing that comes to mind, is "Status of the Class."

This means, I pass out the writing journals at the carpet. The students "warm up their brains" by rereading old pieces. They decide if they will be revisiting a piece of writing to write & write or make changes or they decide if they will be moving into a new piece of writing. They have about 3 minutes to do this.

Then, I begin calling out names. As a student hears their name, they share their writing topic. ---Yes, they truly use this language. It's fantastic!

• "I'm revisiting my story about learning to trot on my horse."


• "I'm making changes to my story about my b-day party."


• "I'm writing about a Memory when I twisted my ankle ice skating."

Once a student gives me their topic, they head right to their writing space and begin writing. The entire Status of the Class experience should be quick (5 minutes max!). It feels a bit chaotic at first, but if you stick to it & train your students, it's extremely beneficial.

My first graders have truly made a connection to the importance of meaningful topic selection which directly connects to Ideas, Ideas, Ideas.