OVERVIEW:

The following is a brief overview of 6+1 Traits which is widely used across schools in North America. It is a research-based model of teaching and assessing writing. It gives teachers and students a common vocabulary for talking about writing across the disciplines and helps to create consistent expectations for what good writing looks like. This is not the complete review of the program, but an overview intended to give you some information about writing instruction that will take place in our class.

The 6+1 Traits model grew out of the work of a number of research projects, including a major endeavor by the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory in Portland Oregon. Researchers there wanted to develop a performance assessment for writing that would be simple for teachers and students to use and understand. What’s essential for good writing, no matter what kind of writing it is? The answer to that question is the 6+1 Traits.

What are the 6+1 Traits? See the following descriptions of each of the following elements:

1. IDEAS:

This trait deals with the heart of the piece of writing. What is the topic? Is the topic narrow enough so that the writer can be specific with lots of good details? Is the topic interesting, and does the writer have knowledge or experience on that topic to make the writing come alive?

2. ORGANIZATION:

This trait details with the structure of a piece of writing. Whether you’re writing a poem, an essay, or a business letter, the structure of the writing should contribute to its overall theme.

That means that a piece of writing should begin with a solid introduction, that ideas should be presented in a logical order with appropriate pacing, and that it should end with a satisfying conclusion that ties up all the loose ends.

3. VOICE:

This trait is probably the most difficult to define. Voice in a piece of writing gives readers a sense of a real person, with a real personality, behind the written words. The voice you use in your writing will vary according to your audience and purpose, but it should sound like you. For example, a personal narrative about your grandfather might be written with a very sentimental, personal voice. A persuasive essay about gun control would probably have a more formal, authoritative voice. Your writing should sound like there is a real person behind it – not just some computer program spitting out facts and sentences.

4. WORD CHOICE:

This trait deals with choosing the right word at the right time to make your writing sparkle. Word choice is the difference between writing that paints pictures in the reader’s mind and writing that sits flat on the page. Great writers choose words that are colorful and precise, without sounding forced. They use strong verbs, adjectives, and figurative language to describe things in a way that is fresh and vivid.

5. SENTENCE FLUENCY

This trait has to do with the way your writing sounds when it’s read out loud. Sentence Fluency means writing sentences of varied lengths and structures that are a pleasure to read. Sentence fluency means beginning sentences in different ways and writing with a rhythm that makes sentences flow together smoothly, adding to the meaning of the piece.

Sentence Fluency makes writing easy to read and almost musical to the ear.

6. CONVENTIONS:

The Conventions Trait is probably the one that many adults remember when they recall their own writing instruction. All those things that were marked in red pen – the spelling errors, grammar and usage problems, capitalization mistakes, and missing punctuation – refer to conventions. While conventions are important, they’re not the most important part of writing.

You might compare the other five traits of writing to the building of a house – laying the foundation, putting up the walls, installing plumbing and electricity, and putting up drywall. The conventions are the finishing touch – the paint that makes the final product look good. As a result, students should focus on conventions at the end of the writing process. Editing for conventions is a final but important step in preparing a text for the reader.

7. PRESENTATION:

Presentation is included in the Traits as a “+1” because while it’s important, it’s not as meaty as the other traits. Presentation refers to the look of the product – how appealing it is before it’s ever read. Good writers know that what they have to say is important, but they also realize that presentation affects how their readers view their writing, too.