Transcript Document

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT,
TOTO, WE’RE TRAVELING
THE SIX TRAITS ROAD!
ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
What are the SIX TRAITS?
How will they impact my writing?
Mrs. Speach, I think I
write okay already.
Is SIX TRAITS a
brand new way of
writing?
Don’t be afraid, My Pretties and
Handsomes, it’s really nothing new!
The SIX TRAITS writing program provides a
common language for teaching and learning
the CRAFT of writing. Its elements are not
new. Good writers and good writing address
all SIX TRAITS:
Ideas and Development
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
Let’s look at the SIX
TRAITS!
What is
IDEAS AND DEVELOPMENT?
The students receive a writing prompt. It
has a FORM, TOPIC, AUDIENCE, and
PURPOSE (F-TAP).
The students must generate IDEAS to
address the TOPIC and DEVELOP the ideas
so they can address the PURPOSE of the
writing piece. It is the CLARITY and
FOCUS.
What is ORGANIZATION?
The student receives a writing prompt. It
has a FORM, TOPIC, AUDIENCE, and
PURPOSE (F-TAP).
The student must ORGANIZE the writing in
a specific FORM. The writer examines the
sequencing of the beginning, middle, and end
of the writing piece.
What is VOICE?
This trait addresses the “A” (audience) in
the writing prompt. The writer’s own
personality and the writer’s awareness of
the person or persons who will be reading
the piece are evident.
What is WORD CHOICE?
This trait encourages the writer to choose
specific language appropriate to the topic,
audience, and purpose of the writing prompt.
What is SENTENCE FLUENCY?
This trait examines how sentences have been
put together or ordered. It encourages
variety in sentence length and structure.
What is CONVENTIONS?
This trait is the “cleaning crew” of the
writing piece. It comes in after the
revisions have been made and the writing has
its shape and purpose “nailed.” It is the
editing of the piece.
That’s an overview of
SIX TRAITS, but there
are probably still some
questions!
Students ask, “Can we just learn the traits
one at a time?”
Writing is a complex process, so learning
it in pieces and isolation doesn't seem
logical and won't necessarily help you
become a better writer.
What's the best thing
about the traits?
It's the language! The shared vocabulary adds such a
rich component to student writing overall. The traits
are really nothing new; that's probably why people
like them so much. They are the foundational skills
of good writing.
Is the SIX TRAITS writing
program the Emerald City of
writing?
CCPS believes that learning SIX TRAITS
allows students to develop their writing skills.
It teaches writing as a craft.
Are you ready for the journey to
SIX TRAITS?
Click your heels 3
times!
A Warning
My Pretties and Handsomes…
The SIX TRAITS
help you examine
the craft of writing
through its six
distinct lenses.
The Six Traits DO NOT take
the place of learning to
SUMMARIZE, ANALYZE,
COMPARE, INFER, DETERMINE
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE, and all
those other good strategies
essential to understanding and
responding to text.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT,
TOTO, WE’RE TRAVELING
THE SIX TRAITS ROAD!