6+1 writing traits: Sentence Fluency and Conventions

Sentence Fluency:

Sentence Fluency is the way the story runs. You want your writing to flow. Sentence Fluency shows that the child has an ear for language, a love of rhythm and sentence sense.

I have my students read poetry that has creative rhymes and natural language. Hearing a good language read aloud builds fluency even in young writers who aren't ready to begin writing sentences.

I also share with them, two versions of writing with the same content but a very different sound. One has short choppy sentences and the other doesn't. Then I ask the students which they prefer and why.

Conventions:

Using proper conventions shows that students are aware of writing conventions, it shows their willingness to experiment and it shows they have the patience to take a second look.

I have students do editing tasks that are appropriate for their age and ability. For example, in first grade, I have them check to see if their is a name on the paper. Then I gradually add other simple things such as: title on paper, a date on the piece, and then eventually word children up to more complicated things.

As students begin to generate their own conventional text. I ask simple questions. Why did you put a period here? Why did you put a capital letter here? This helps reinforce the thinking behind the conventions.

6+1 Writing Traits: Ideas and Organization

Ideas:

Ideas is what a paper is made up of. It shows the child's awareness of details, ability to see what others miss, knowing what is most important or interesting and a good sense of the "main point" or "main storyline."

In class I have them be observers. I ask my students to observe their surroundings. See how much they notice. Then they record their observations. Sometimes I do it in a form of a nature hike or by observing our classroom pet. Then I have them sort their observations in groups. They are: most interesting, most important, most unusual and then which details they would like to read about.

I also have them draw out a list of details. Greeting cards and postcards are fun for them because they have unusual, colorful and interesting pictures. In older grades, teachers have students pair up and one student describes a picture and then the other has to try and recognize it from the description.

Organization:

A childs organization is so important when writing a paper. This shows a sense of sequence, the ability to organize and group, a sense of a beginning and a sense of an ending as well.

I read stories aloud to students and pause after the beginning to ask, "Why do you think the writer started this way. I also sometimes ask the children before the beginning, "Where do you think the writer will begin." This is great for older children because it really gets them thinking.

I also do a lot of prediction with my students. As we are reading I ask questions like, "What do you think will happen next? What will this writer talk about next? How do you think it might end?"

6+1 Writing Choice: Voice and Word Choice

Voice:

In the 6+1 writing traits, voice is a very important aspect. This is the trait that helps them form a paper that sounds like them. It also should tell the reader that the child cares about the topic that they are writing about. It shows their feelings, their enthusiasm for writing, their individuality and their passion for the topic.

Something I do in class to help teach about voice is by reading and discussing a lot of literature with voice. You can find it everywhere and do this at home with your child as well. picture books, the newspaper, magazines, ads, movie reviews, book reviews, and editorials are a great place to start.

Word Choice:

Proper word choice demonstrates awareness of language, awareness that there are different ways to say things and a love of favorite words.

One activity I do in class to teach my students about word choice is I have them make a list of their favorite words. We decorate them on colored paper and post them on the wall. We make word mobiles and word collages. I also take them a step further and have them put adjectives with their words. Instead of wall, they put pretty pink wall.

Another activity is retiring words. I have them put words they are tired of in a shoe box and we come up with new words to take their place. This is a great way for students to learn to use new words.

Primary Spelling Inventory

You might be wondering what this is? And why cant we just stick with the old fashion spelling tests?

The Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) is used in Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. It has 26 words that are ordered by difficulties. The categories range from letter-name alphabetic to word pattern stages. As the teacher, I call out words until the child has made 5 or 6 spelling errors for me to analyze. For Kindergarten or emergent readers, sometimes I only need to call out the first five words. In late Kindergarten and early first grade, I will call out at least 15 words so I have sample digraphs and blends. For last 1st grade, 2nd grade and 3 grade, I will use the entire list. After 3rd grade or if the child spells more than 20 words correctly, I will move on to the Elementary Spelling Inventory.

It is a great way to see where you child is at structurally in spelling.

What is Early Literacy?

Early literacy is everything children know about reading and writing before they can actually read and write. This is so important for children to grasp. These skills begin to develop the first 5 years of their life. Your child's early experiences with books and language lay the foundation for success in learning to read. The most important thing you can do to foster early literacy is by providing an atmosphere that is fun. It should also be verbal and stimulating and not school-like. The focus should not be on teaching, but on the fun you're having with your child. Offer your child plenty of opportunities to talk and be listened to, to read and be read to, and to sing and be sung to. This is so important for your child. You are the most important person to prepare your child to learn to read.

Running Records

You are probably wondering what a running record is and what it is used for. I assess your child on the benchmark books we have in class. It is used in the early stages of writing. It assesses their reading performance. Only the first 100 - 150 words are used in longer books. A blank running record assessment is available at this website:

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/read/runningrecords.pdf

You grade children on errors that they make, self corrections, and you evaluate the errors. Meaning is part of the cueing system in which the child takes her or his cue to make sense of text by thinking about the story background, information from pictures, or the meaning of a sentence. These cues assist in the reading of a word or phrase. Structure refers to the structure of language and is often referred to as syntax. Implicit knowledge of structure helps the reader know if what she or he reads sounds correct. Visual information is related to the look of the letters in a word and the word itself. A reader uses visual information when she or he studies the beginning sound, word length, familiar word chunks, and so forth.

It is a great way to assess students reading. And it is also something you can use at home as a parent too.