The 6 + 1 traits and how you can include them in your classroom. 

By Shanice Phipps 

The 6 + plus 1 trait of writing is a way of teaching , modelling and assessing the instruction of writing . The 6 trait of writing include Voice, Ideas, Convention, Organization and Wordchoice and Sentence  Fluency. When using the 6 plus 1 traits of writing it is important to bare in mind that ...

1. Students learn by reading aloud and discussing sample .

2. Writing , sharing and writing is important .

3. Frequent writing is important 

4. Revising our own and the work of others has great instructional benefits .

Voice  - The tone the writer brings to the writing brings emotions and meaning to the piece being written. Voice is not only determined by what you say but how you say it and one can ask these questions while reading .

1.Did my tone match my audience ?

2.Does my reader understands how I feel?

3.Does my writing sound like me ?

Ideas - This includes content of the piece and the main theme, together with the details that enrich and develop them. Questions below can be ask ...

1.Are the ideas new and interesting ?

2.Do I have too much information?

3.Did i include details ?

4.Are my ideas something others can relate to ?

Organization- The internal structure of a piece . These include the length of the paragraph and break that hit the writing . It has to make sure the pieces are clear from start , middle and end , so it can flow. It is also important to remember you can use headings , subheadings and paragraphs to lay out how you would write . It is one of the most important part .One should ask....

Did I tell things in order?

Did I include smooth transition words ?

Wordchoice - The vocabulary the writer uses to convey meaning . make sure to use the correct words so it can be clear and not confusing . The words have to be rich , colorful and precise that enlightens the reader. it should Include questions ...

1.Did I use descriptive words that help paint a picture ?

2.Did i use exciting words?

3.Do my words tell a clear picture ?

Sentence Fluency - The way the words and phrases flow throughout the text , the sound of the word patterns and the way in which the writing plays to the ear.

1.Did I use complete sentences ?

2.Did I use some long and stretchy sentences ?

3.Is my paper easy to read ?

Conventions -  The mechanical corrections of the piece - Spelling , paragraphing , grammar , usage , punctuation and the use of capital letter .Question like these can be asked .

1.Did i include my name ?

2.Did I use a title?

3.Did I leave the margins on the side ?

 These are some ways as teachers one can include the 6 plus one traits of writing in your classroom that can help under the .

Ideas

Students will do an exercise where a story will be given using no detail while they could picture it,ask them how to improve the story and introduce the concept that ideas need to be supported to show the true meaning 

• Ask students to describe what is happening in a photograph. Have them do this in partnerships where only one partner can see the picture at a time and the other must convey the message of the photo in front of them.
• Have students compose a paragraph packed with as much supporting detail as possible. Tell them to choose a specific (true) event that happened to them and use their senses to describe it.
• Organization

• Take a piece of writing and cut it into chunks, having students piece the writing back together as best as they can.
• Give a list of directions and have students arrange the steps in order.
• Read two short informational books that has organization structures and  ask  students what is different about the organization of the books.
• Voice
• Discuss the personality traits of a few children's book authors, then read a variety of literature and have students try to identify the author by voice.
• Compare and contrast the voice in select fiction and nonfiction books.
• Have students write a letter to a grandparent about their favorite school subject. When they are finished, discuss how they cultivated their voice in the letter and whether they feel that their thoughts and emotions came through.
• Wordchoice

• Keep a word wall, adding to and discussing it frequently.
• Show students a paragraph with words missing. Offer options for words to put in the blanks and explain why some of them are better than others.
• Introduce students to thesauruses. Teach that a well-rounded vocabulary is useful but caution against overdoing it by having them first replace as many words as they can in a paragraph and then only words that make sense to replace.
• Sentence Fluency
• Write a story where every single sentence begins and ends in the exact same way. Talk with the class about why this is problematic and have them help add variety to the sentence structures.
• Rearrange the sentences in a popular piece of writing. Have the students fix it and talk about why it matters that sentences flow easily into each other.
• Have students take a sentence in a piece of informational writing and flip the words around. Does it make more or less sense? Is their way better or worse?
• Conventions
• Give your students a word to correctly work into a sentence. Begin with simple sentence parts such as subjects and verbs and progressively get more difficult with adverbs, adjectives, and more.
• Teach students to peer review each other's work for correctness. They do not need to correct every tiny detail. Rather, focus on one skill at a time (punctuation, capitalization, etc.). also use materials such as handouts and mini- lessons to teach conventions . Once you follow these tips you will help students to reach their full potential.
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