 "The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium." ~Norbet Platt "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." ~William Wordsworth "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter - it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." ~Mark Twain "Lists are the butterfly nets that catch my fleeting thoughts..." ~Betsy Cañas Garmon "If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams." ~Terri Guillemets 6 Traits of Writing Ideas Voice Word Choice Organization Sentence Fluency Conventions Writing Fix - Great ideas, free resources, printables, etc. Secrets of Good Writers Good Writers:
12 Writing Essentials for All Grade Levels From Writing Essentials: Raising Expectations and Results While Simplifying Teaching By Regie Routman
Teach these essentials well in connection with any purposeful writing, and, with guidance, students will be able to use them in whatever form of writing they do:
1. Write for a specific reader and a meaningful purpose. Write with a particular audience in mind (this may be the author herself or himself) and define the writing task. 2. Determine an appropriate topic. Plan the writing, do the necessary research, narrow the focus, decide what’s most important to include. 3. Present ideas clearly, with a logical, well-organized flow. Structure the writing in an easy-to-follow style and format using words, sentences, and paragraphs; put like information together; stay on the topic; know when and what to add or delete; incorporate transitions. 4. Elaborate on ideas. Include details and facts appropriate to stated main ideas; explain key concepts; support judgments; create descriptions that evoke mood, time, and place; and develop characters. 5. Embrace language. “Fool with words” – experiment with nouns, verbs, adjectives, literary language, sensory details, dialogue, rhythm, sentence length, paragraphs – to craft specific, lively writing for the reader. 6. Create engaging leads. Attract the reader’s interest right from the start. 7. Compose satisfying endings. Develop original endings that bring a sense of closure. 8. Craft authentic voice. Write in a style that illuminates the writer’s personality – this may include dialogue, humor, point of view, a unique form. 9. Reread, rethink, and revise while composing. Assess, analyze, reflect, evaluate, plan, redraft, and edit as one goes – all part of the recursive, nonlinear nature of writing. 10. Apply correct conventions and form. Produce legible letters and words; employ editing and proofreading skills; use accurate spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar; adhere to the formal rules of the genre. 11. Read widely and deeply – and with a writer’s perspective. Read avidly; notice what authors – and illustrators – do; develop an awareness of the characteristics of various genres (fiction, poetry, persuasive pieces) and how those genres work, and apply that knowledge and craft to one’s own writing. 12. Take responsibility for producing effective writing. Consider relevant responses and suggestions and willingly revise; sustain writing effort; monitor and evaluate one’s own work and set goals; publish, when possible and appropriate, in a suitable and pleasing presentation style and format; do whatever is necessary to ensure the text is meaningful and clear to the reader as well as accurate, legible, and engaging.
These 12 writing essentials are applicable from kindergarten through high school and beyond. The factors that change are: The amount of excellent support the student needs (demonstrations and explicit teaching). The complexity of texts the student composes. The variety of forms or genres the author attempts. The learner’s level of independence. |