Transcript Reading to a New Tune: Connecting Contemporary Music and

On Common Ground:
6-TRAIT Scoring for the Kansas Writing Assessment
Presentation Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Examine how the 6+1 TRAIT model was developed
for teachers by teachers.
Discuss the ways the 6-TRAIT model has been
applied both nationally and here in Kansas.
Explore how the 6-TRAIT model is used within the
context of the Kansas Writing Assessment.
Practice scoring for the Kansas Writing Assessment.
Discuss issues with scorer objectivity and bias.
Activity One
The Writing Sneeze:
Write continuously for three
minutes using the following
sentence starter as a
springboard:
My fears in scoring student essays for the
Kansas Writing Assessment are…
Why Worry About Writing?


Approximately 70% of students in grades 4-12 are lowachieving writers. (Persky et al., 2003)
Thirty-five percent of high school graduates in college
and 38% of high school graduates in the workforce feel
their writing does not meet expectations for quality.
(Achieve, Inc., 2005)


About half of private employers and more than 60% of
state government employers say writing skills impact
promotion decisions. (National Commission on Writing, 2005)
Writing remediation costs American businesses as
much as $3.1 billion annually. (National Commission on Writing,
2004)
Among the Recommendations
for Improving Student Writing
1.
School districts should insist that writing be taught
in all subjects and at all grade levels.
2.
Every teacher should be required to successfully
complete a course in writing theory and practice as
a condition for teacher licensing.
3.
Schools should aim to double the amount of time
most students spend writing.
(National Commission on Writing, 2003)
Effective Practices to Improve
Student Writing in Grades 4 to 12
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Writing Strategies
Summarization
Collaborative Writing
Specific Product Goals
Word Processing
Sentence-Combining
Prewriting
Inquiry Activities
Process Writing Approach
Study of Models
Writing for Content
Learning
(Graham and Perin, 2007)

The Writing Next report
highlights 11 instructional
practices that research has
identified as having shown
strength and consistency in
improving student writing
quality.

Which of these practices can
be facilitated and enhanced
with the 6-TRAIT model?
Effective Practices to Improve
Student Writing in Grades 4 to 12
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Writing Strategies
Summarization
Collaborative Writing
Specific Product Goals
Word Processing
Sentence-Combining
Prewriting
Inquiry Activities
Process Writing Approach
Study of Models
Writing for Content
Learning
(Graham and Perin, 2007)

Using the 6-TRAIT
model of assessment and
instruction can facilitate
and complement eight of
these eleven instructional
practices.
The 6+1 TRAIT Model
What it is NOT…
• a packaged curriculum
• a standards document
• a ‘canned’ program
• a ‘convenience’ to ease
the grading load
• a way to make teaching
‘easier’
What it is…
• a common vocabulary
for teachers and
students
• a vision of the
characteristics of strong
writing
• an analytical scoring
method
• a system for driving and
managing student
learning
Development of the 6+1 TRAIT Model
for teachers, by teachers
In 1984, drawing from the pioneering work of Paul
Diederich (1974) and Donald Murray (1982) and with
the help of researchers from the NWREL, a group of
17 teachers from the Beaverton, Oregon, school
district set out to create a scoring guide (a rubric) that
would describe what ‘good’ writing looks like…
Development of the 6+1 TRAIT Model
for teachers, by teachers
Teachers spent weeks pouring over thousands of
examples of student writing, sorting them into high,
middle, and beginning levels, and documenting their
reasons for the rankings…
Next, they began sifting through their documented
reasons—combining and condensing—until they
arrived at six essential traits:
The 6+1 Traits of Writing
1. Ideas & Content – the heart of the message
2. Organization – the internal structure
3. Voice – the personal tone and flavor
4. Word Choice – the vocabulary a writer chooses
5. Sentence Fluency – the rhythm and flow
6. Conventions – the mechanical correctness
+1. Presentation – form, layout, eye-appeal
Ideas & Content

focused and clear

controlling idea or
theme

provides detail and
support that enriches

writer is selective

shows insight

writes from knowledge
and experience
Organization

thread of central
meaning

crafts a clear
beginning, middle, and
end

effective sequencing

good pacing

smooth transitions

information is given in
the right doses at the
right times
Voice

person behind the
words

heart and soul
appropriate for
audience
conviction
text is full of life
personal, individual,
expressive




Word Choice

rich, colorful, precise
language

strong and natural
vocabulary

energetic verbs

precise nouns and
modifiers

skill in using everyday
words well
Sentence Fluency

rhythm and flow

easy to read a out loud

poetic, musical

variety of sentence
beginnings

variety of sentence structures

cadence, power, movement
Conventions




mechanical correctness
consistent control of
spelling, punctuation,
grammar, indenting,
capitalization, etc.
minimal typographical
errors to distract a
reader
appearance is irrelevant
Presentation

uniform spacing

legible handwriting or
appropriate use of fonts
and sizes

appealing use of white
space

effective use of bullets,
lists, graphs, maps, tables,
illustrations, sidebars,
sub-headings as necessary
Activity Two
What Teachers Value in Writing:
With a partner…
Read the selection of writing and generate a list of
three to five characteristics that make this a ‘good’
piece of writing…
Now, for each of the characteristics you and your
partner wrote down, identify under which of the traits
that characteristic would fall.
The 6+1 Traits of Writing
1. Ideas & Content – the heart of the message
2. Organization – the internal structure
3. Voice – the personal tone and flavor
4. Word Choice – the vocabulary a writer chooses
5. Sentence Fluency – the rhythm and flow
6. Conventions – the mechanical correctness
+1. Presentation – form, layout, eye-appeal
Development of the 6+1 TRAIT Model
for teachers, by teachers
Remember those 17 teachers in Oregon that spent
weeks pouring over thousands of examples of student
writing and documenting their reactions and
comments?
Keep in mind they were also sorting that writing into
three categories: high, middle, and beginning levels.
The result of their work was a draft of a rubric that
would become the foundation for the 6+1 TRAIT
model…
It looked a little something like this…
The 6+1 TRAIT Continuum
5
5 = Strong
•
shows skill and control; many
strengths present; writing is
publishable
4
4 = Effective
3
3 = Developing
2
1
•
•
strengths outweigh weaknesses; one
draft away from being publishable
balance of strengths and weaknesses
2 = Emerging
•
weaknesses outweigh strengths
1 = Beginning
•
writer not yet showing any control
The 6+1 TRAIT Continuum
points worth noting
• A ‘5’ represents a strong paper,
not necessarily a perfect one.
5
• There may be a considerable
difference in the “distance”
between a ‘1’ and a ‘2’ and the
distance between a ‘4’ and a ‘5.’
4
• The goal is for each student to
improve with each subsequent
draft.
2
3
1
Development of the 6+1 TRAIT Model
for teachers, by teachers
Since 1984, both the rubric and the 6+1 TRAIT
model have been revised nearly 20 times and been
modified by a host of schools, districts, states, and
even foreign countries.
In fact, Presentation (the seventh trait) wasn’t added
to the model until 1997—based on the
recommendations of classroom teachers—to help
separate issues of correctness (conventions) from
issues of appearance.
Flexibility and Adaptability
All this to prove a fairly simple point…

The 6-TRAIT Writing Model is just that—a model.
It is flexible and can be adapted to suit specific
assignments, specific purposes, and—most
importantly—the needs of particular students.
Flexibility and Adaptability

Even a simple Google  The traits, however,
search will reveal…
remain constant:
• 4-point rubrics
1. Ideas and Content
• 5-point rubrics
2. Organization
• 6-point rubrics
3. Voice
• Rubrics for teachers
4. Word Choice
• Rubrics for students
5. Sentence Fluency
• Rubrics for assessment
6. Conventions
• Rubrics for instruction
7. Presentation
What We Value in Student Writing
“We believe that any scoring model is by design a
value system. In that spirit, we hope to share this
model in a way that enables users to clarify and
define their own values about writing, and to learn a
method of sharing those values with students and
with other teachers, so that all of us who work with
the assessment of writing can understand writing
better and teach it more effectively.”
– from NWREL’s first publication of the 6-TRAIT model (1986)
Flexibility and Adaptability

Adapt the 6-Trait Model
to suit your needs, the
needs of your
classroom, and the
needs of your students.
Unlike this teacher…
The 6-TRAIT Model in Kansas

First used in 1989 in the KCK district

1992 — the first pilot of the Kansas Writing
Assessment which is built upon the 6-TRAIT model
(about one third of Kansas school districts
participate)

1994 to present — the Kansas Writing Assessment
continues biennially, requiring 6-TRAIT scoring at
both the local and state level
The 6-TRAIT Model in Kansas

In 2003, 6-TRAIT rubrics were adapted to create the
Kansas Modified 6-TRAIT Rubric.

In 2007 work began on updating the 6-TRAIT rubrics
for the narrative, expository, and persuasive writing
on the Kansas Writing Assessment.
 Changes
 The
to format and layout of the rubrics.
six traits and the descriptor language,
however, remains largely the same.
Recent Changes to Rubrics
for the Kansas Writing Assessment
Changes to format:

descriptors organized
under four criteria
within each trait

landscape orientation

“checkbox” bullets
Changes to content:
 descriptors added for
the ‘2’ and ‘4’ levels

point level labels of the
rubric were changed to
better reflect the stages
of a writing process
Rubrics are available for download on the KSDE Writing Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
New Point Level Labels
What was…
Is now…
Strong
5
Publishing
Maturing
4
Polishing
Developing
3
Drafting
Emerging
2
Shaping
Beginning
1
Inventing
The “Old” Rubric
The “New” Rubric
Suggested Scoring Procedures



Two readers are always preferable
to only one.
Scorers should be encouraged to
discuss their ratings with other
scorers.
Periodically, scorers should
physically mark a copy of the
rubric as they score to personally
verify their ratings.
Suggested Scoring Procedures are available on the KSDE Writing
Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Scoring an Individual Essay
For each trait…
 Determine which set of descriptors best
describe the essay for each of four criteria
within a given trait.
 Then, scorers should use the four criteria levels
they identified to inform the rating of the
overall trait.
Suggested Procedure for Scoring an Essay
Guidelines for Discussing Scores

The goal is not to persuade or convince individuals
to change their scores.

Keep the discussion firmly grounded in the language
of the scoring rubric.

Discussion facilitates professional learning and
allows readers to better understand, clarify, and apply
the criteria and descriptors contained within the
scoring rubric.

The ultimate goal of is to ensure that student writing
is being scored consistently and accurately.
Activity Three

Updated Training Manual
is available on the KSDE
Writing Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>

Includes scored samples
essays written by Kansas
students that can be used
for training/calibration
purposes.
Practice Scoring
Using pre-scored sample essays from the
KSDE Training Manual for 6-TRAIT scoring,
let’s practice scoring student writing at the
5th grade, 8th grade, and high school levels.
How Did We Do?
Using the scoring
chart from the training
manual, let’s check to
see how we did!
Issues with Scorer Objectivity & Bias

Aspects/Characteristics of student writing NOT
considered when scoring for the Kansas Writing
Assessment:
handwriting
 lightness or darkness of writing
 neatness
 formatting (skipping lines, unusual margins, font size/style)
 presence or absence of a title
 length of the piece of writing
 absence or use of technology

Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias

A number of factors can unknowingly influence a
scorer’s perception of student writing in either a
positive or negative direction.

An illustrative (not exhaustive) list of potential
pitfalls to be mindful of…
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Personal Standards of Quality
Readers often have personal standards for what
makes quality writing. Rationalizing scores with
personal thoughts such as, Three misspelled words
means a piece can only score a 3 or below in
Conventions, or Only an essay that is completely
error free can receive a top score, is a form of bias.
When scoring for the Kansas Writing Assessment, the
rubric must be followed.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Referring to the Prompt
Many writers write excellent papers but do not refer
directly in any way to the language of the prompt.
This is fine. Do not demand an obvious reference
(e.g., “My most memorable experience was the time
when…”) or demand that students include any of the
example ideas suggested in the prompt.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Reactions to Content
Personal reactions to the specific content of the essay
may influence scoring. If the writer’s values are not
the same as the scorer’s or the writer’s choice of
overall theme or specific details are unappealing, this
may unduly affect scoring. If you cannot objectively
read such a paper, pass it on for scoring by someone
else.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Profanity
Occasionally a student will include profanity in his or
her writing. If you cannot objectively read a paper
with profanity, pass it on for scoring by someone
else.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Persona or Tone
Personal reactions to the persona or tone of the
writing can influence scoring. Scorers should take
into account any thoughts such as What a cute kid! or
How conceited! that may affect the accuracy of their
scoring.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Style or Usage Prejudice
Some idiosyncratic preferences in style or usage (e.g.,
the use of a lot, get, or that is; the halo effect of a
well-turned phrase; the use of a particular cliché) can
create bias.
Other Examples of Potential Scorer Bias
Prior Experience with Student
Deeply ingrained personal classroom assessment
experiences with specific students can corrupt
accurate scoring. Thoughts such as, Pablo is the best
writer in the class, so his essay must receive straight
5s, or Samantha never does well with writing; I’m
sure her essay is horrible, can influence scoring.
Other Friendly Reminders for Scoring
1.
Refer often to the scoring rubric. Do not rely just on
your memory or your intuition.
2.
Physically mark copies of the rubric while scoring
to ensure your judgments are being made based
upon the characteristics the rubric provides.
3.
Remember to score each trait individually without
allowing the score from one trait to influence your
scoring of another trait.
Other Friendly Reminders for Scoring
4.
5.
Think of a 3 as the point on the scoring continuum
where strengths and weaknesses balance. Any score
above a 3 indicates dominant strengths; any score
below a 3 indicates dominant weaknesses.
Do not dwell on a particular essay’s weaknesses.
Focus your attention on identifying the set(s) of
descriptors that best describe the characteristics of
the essay.
Other Friendly Reminders for Scoring
6.
Remember that you are assessing the writing—not
the writer—and only a single performance at that.
7.
Keep in mind that the prompt is only meant to
motivate the writer and provide a springboard for
the student to begin generating ideas. Readers
should score the quality of the writing, not the
student’s adherence to the prompt.
Other Friendly Reminders for Scoring
8.
If the essay is off-topic, score it according to the
rubric to the best of your ability.
9.
If you think a paper might be a crisis paper (e.g.,
suicide, child abuse, drug abuse), flag it and report
it to your scoring session leader or testing
coordinator but continue scoring.
10.
If the papers are starting to blend together in your
mind and all are starting to read the same, take a
break.
Other Friendly Reminders for Scoring
11.
When you need to share an essay or talk at length about
scoring, please do so with respect toward other scorers. Even
quiet talking can make it hard for those around you to
concentrate.
12.
Your pace should be brisk but comfortable. Take time to
read each paper thoroughly; do not skim. Our priority is
scoring accuracy, not scoring speed. If you become stuck
with a particular essay, ask for help.
The 6+1 TRAIT Model in Kansas
Kansas educators believe the 6+1 TRAIT model has:




reinforced the teaching of a writing process;
helped many teachers who were unsure or
inexperienced with teaching writing to do so with
confidence in their classrooms;
provided a common vocabulary to talk about writing
with students and colleagues;
helped students understand what improvement a piece
of writing needs;
The 6+1 TRAIT Model in Kansas
Kansas educators believe the 6+1 TRAIT model has:




motivated students to revise and improve their writing;
helped teachers to diagnose student needs;
helped teachers to adjust and individualize instruction;
and
provided a method for sharing information about
individual student writing ability with administrators,
parents, and other non-specialists.
Other Available Resources
Glossary of Writing Terminology

provides clarification on commonly
confused and/or misunderstood terms
in reference to their use on the Kansas
Writing Assessment

might be appropriate for both students
and educators

available on the KSDE Writing
Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Other Available Resources
Rubrics for Incorporating Research and Citing Sources
 Grades 3-7
 Grades 8-12
• Although not a part of the Kansas Writing Assessment, these
rubrics are formatted like those for the assessment and help
educators communicate our expectations for academic writing
and avoiding plagiarism.
• Available on the KSDE Writing Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Other Available Resources
Illustration of Writing Modes Chart
• illustrative lists of the various
types and genres of writing that
might fit into each mode
(narrative, technical, expository,
persuasive)
• helps communicate that most
writing often blends several
modes or moves back and forth
among modes
• available on the KSDE Writing
Homepage:
<www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
Activity Four
Teacher Reflection:
1. One piece of information presented today that I
already knew was…
2. One piece of information presented today of which I
was not aware was…
3. One idea from this presentation that I intend to use in
my classroom is…
4. The most controversial idea I heard today was…
5. The idea I’d most like to hear more about is…
Communication from KSDE about Writing
•
•
•
KSDE Writing Homepage—Standards, Assessment,
and Resources <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>
KSDE Writing ListServ
(email Matt to be added to this list)
Contact Matt Copeland directly
• Phone (785) 296-5060
• Email [email protected]
Bibliography
Achieve, Inc. (2005). Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College
and Work? Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from
http://www.achieve.org/node/548
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of
Adolescents in Middle and High Schools—A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from
http://www.all4ed.org/publication_material/reports
National Commission on Writing (2003). The Neglected ‘R’: The Need for a Writing Revolution.
Retrieved January 16, 2008, from http://www.writingcommission.org/report.html
National Commission on Writing. (2004). Writing: A Ticket to Work… or a Ticket Out: A Survey
of Business Leaders. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from
http://www.writingcommission.org/report.html
National Commission on Writing. (2005). Writing: A Powerful Message from State Government.
Retrieved January 16, 2008, from http://www.writingcommission.org/report.html
Northwest Regional Education Laboratory. (1986). “The Six-Trait Analytic Model.” Portland,
OR: Author.
Persky, H.R., Daane, M.C., & Jin, Y. (2003). The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2002. (NCES
2003—529). U.S. Department of Education. Institute of Education Sciences. National Center
for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.