Overview

Guess what, most of us know good writing when we read it! //Yea!// Unfortunately, post-secondary educational institutions and employers continue to bemoan the lack of writing skills in today's high school graduates. //Drat.// How might educators connect "what we know when we read it" with instructional practice so that students become effective, confident writers? Wouldn't that be a magic trick? Good news, the magic is not held within the words of a secret incantation, it's the Six Traits of Writing. //POOF!//
 * Writing Good - Is It Magic?**

**History of The Six Traits of Writing** Best instructional practices are rooted in the best investigative processes, that is, research that occurs in the classroom with teachers and students actively involved in the investigation. The Six Traits of Writing has strong roots!

[|History of the Traits - Spandel and Hicks.docx]

**Connecting What I Know About Good Writing with the Language of the Traits (Activity):**


 * < ** The Six Traits ** ||
 * < ** Ideas ** ||< The heart of the message; details, examples, information relevant to the topic ||
 * < ** Organization ** ||< The internal structure of the piece; supports comprehension ||
 * < ** Voice ** ||< The feeling, conviction, depth of knowledge the writer has for the topic ||
 * < ** Word Choice ** ||< The precise language chosen to convey meaning ||
 * < ** Sentence Fluency ** ||< The rhythm and flow of the language ||
 * < ** Conventions & Presentation ** ||< The mechanical correctness (grammar, usage, spelling, etc.) & the appropriate format for the message and audience ||


 * Why use the Six Trait model?**
 * Common language
 * The "how to" for revision
 * Consistency in assessment

//The Six Traits of good writing are not an invention but simply a way of describing the qualities of good writing that have been with us as long as writing itself.// -Vicki Spandel