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The Six Traits of Writing Model:

Teaching & Assessing

 

Instructor Name:

Dr. Karen Lea

Phone:

509-891-7219

Office Hours:

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST Monday - Friday

Email:

karen_lea@virtualeduc.com

Address:

Virtual Education Software

 

23403 E Mission Avenue, Suite 220F

 

Liberty Lake, WA 99019

Technical Support:

support@virtualeduc.com

 

 

Introduction

Welcome to the course The Six Traits of Writing Model: Teaching & Assessing, tailored specifically to professionals such as educators, teaching aides, school psychologists, and counselors who are involved with children and adolescents across various educational disciplines. The course underscores the importance of writing instruction as a lifelong skill and provides both theoretical knowledge and actionable strategies to integrate the six traits of writing into any classroom setting.

 

This computer-based instruction course is a self-supporting program that provides instruction, structured practice, and evaluation all on your home or school computer. Technical support information can be found in the Help section of your course.

 

 

Course Materials (Online)

Title:                The Six Traits of Writing Model: Teaching & Assessing

Publisher:       Virtual Education Software, inc. 2017, Revised 2020, Revised 2024

Instructor:      Dr. Karen Lea

 

 

Academic Integrity Statement

The structure and format of most distance-learning courses presume a high level of personal and academic integrity in completion and submission of coursework. Individuals enrolled in a distance-learning course are expected to adhere to the following standards of academic conduct.

 

Academic Work

Academic work submitted by the individual (such as papers, assignments, reports, tests) shall be the student’s own work or appropriately attributed, in part or in whole, to its correct source. Submission of commercially prepared (or group prepared) materials as if they are one’s own work is unacceptable.

 

Aiding Honesty in Others

The individual will encourage honesty in others by refraining from providing materials or information to another person with knowledge that these materials or information will be used improperly.

 

Violations of these academic standards will result in the assignment of a failing grade and subsequent loss of credit for the course.

 

 

Level of Application

This course is designed to be an informational course with application to educational settings. The analysis of how to teach writing and how to integrate techniques of writing are designed for all grade levels, all content areas.

 

 

Expected Learning Outcomes

As a result of this course, participants will demonstrate their ability to:

 

 

Course Description

This course, The Six Traits of Writing Model: Teaching & Assessing, will discuss why writing is important and why teachers should include writing as often as possible in all content areas. The course will also include practical applications for assessing and teaching writing, including teaching students how to self-assess their own writing. The first chapter of this course will discuss why teaching writing is important and give you an introduction to the Six Traits of Writing model. Through chapters 2, 3, and 4 we will discuss the elements of the Six Traits of Writing model. Throughout those elements we will look at practical ways to use this model in your classroom.

 

 

Student Expectations

As a student you will be expected to:

·         Complete all four information sections showing a competent understanding of the material presented in each section.

·         Complete all four section examinations, showing a competent understanding of the material presented. You must obtain an overall score of 70% or higher, with no individual exam score below 50%, and successfully complete ALL writing assignments to pass this course. *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.

·         Complete a review of any section on which your examination score was below 50%.

·         Retake any examination, after completing an information review, to increase that examination score to a minimum of 50%, making sure to also be achieving an overall exam score of a minimum 70% (maximum of three attempts). *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.

·         Complete all course journal article and essay writing assignments with the minimum word count shown for each writing assignment.

·         Complete a course evaluation form at the end of the course.

 

 

Course Overview

Chapter 1: Why Teach Writing?

In this introductory chapter, we delve into the significance of writing education and the evolution of the Six Traits of Writing model. You will be equipped to critically assess the role of writing in literacy and professional fields and to exhibit a comprehensive grasp of the theoretical underpinnings of the Six Traits of Writing model.

 

Chapter 2: Ideas & Organization

Writing serves not only as a conduit for rendering our thoughts and learning tangible and comprehensible to others but also as a tool to clarify and shape our own ideas. Beyond its functional importance, writing acts as a medium of entertainment. Among the numerous pedagogical approaches to writing instruction, the enduring Six Traits writing model remains a cornerstone of educational practice and is the central theme of this course. Specifically, this chapter will concentrate on the initial two components of the model: “Ideas” and “Organization,” providing an in-depth exploration of these fundamental elements.

 

Chapter 3: Voice & Words

With a foundation laid for what to write and how to structure it, the next step for educators is to guide students in cultivating a unique voice and selecting the most effective words. It’s crucial to build upon, not bypass, the groundwork of ideas and organization. These steps may be laborious, but they are vital for creating rich and nuanced written pieces. This chapter will delve into “Voice” and “Word Choice,” the subsequent two pillars of the Six Traits of Writing, and will provide focused instruction about enhancing these elements.

 

Chapter 4: Fluency & Conventions

Sentence fluency pertains to using diverse sentence structures to imbue our writing with rhythm and flow, making it engaging and enjoyable to read. It is the element that sustains reader interest through its musicality. Alongside “Sentence Fluency,” the other key component addressed in this chapter is “Conventions,” which includes the mechanics of writing that ensure clarity and correctness. This chapter will concentrate on these elements, with an additional focus on applying writing skills across various disciplines and content areas.

 

 

Examinations

At the end of each course section, you will be expected to complete an examination designed to assess your knowledge. You may take these exams a total of three times. Your last score will save, not the highest score. After your third attempt, each examination will lock and not allow further access. The average from your exam scores will be printed on your certificate. However, this is not your final grade since your required writing assignments have not been reviewed. Exceptionally written or poorly written required writing assignments, or violation of the academic integrity policy in the course syllabus, will affect your grade. As this is a self-paced computerized instruction program, you may review course information as often as necessary. You will not be able to exit any examinations until you have answered all questions. If you try to exit the exam before you complete all questions, your information will be lost. You are expected to complete the entire exam in one sitting.

 

 

Writing Assignments

All assignments are reviewed and may impact your final grade. Exceptionally or poorly written assignments, or violation of the Academic Integrity Policy (see course syllabus for policy), will affect your grade. Fifty percent of your grade is determined by your writing assignments, and your overall exam score determines the other fifty percent. Refer to the Essay Grading Guidelines, which were sent as an attachment with your original course link. You should also refer to the Course Syllabus Addendum, which was sent as an attachment with your original course link, to determine if you have any writing assignments in addition to the Critical Thinking Questions (CTQ) and Journal Article Summations (JAS). If you do, the Essay Grading Guidelines will also apply.

 

Your writing assignments must meet the minimum word count and are not to include the question or your final citations as part of your word count. In other words, the question and citations are not to be used as a means to meet the minimum word count.

 

Critical Thinking Questions

There are four CTQs that you are required to complete. You will need to write a minimum of 500 words (maximum 1,000) per essay. You should explain how the information that you gained from the course will be applied and clearly convey a strong understanding of the course content as it relates to each CTQ. To view the questions, click on REQUIRED ESSAY and choose the CTQ that you are ready to complete; this will bring up a screen where you may enter your essay. Prior to course submission, you may go back at any point to edit your essay, but you must be certain to click SAVE once you are done with your edits.

 

You must click SAVE before you write another essay or move on to another part of the course.

 

Journal Article Summations

You are required to write, in your own words, a summary on a total of three peer-reviewed or scholarly journal articles (one article per JAS), written by an author with a Ph.D., Ed.D. or similar, on the topic outlined within each JAS section in the “Required Essays” portion of the course (blogs, abstracts, news articles, or similar are not acceptable). Your article choice must relate specifically to the discussion topic listed in each individual JAS. You will choose a total of three relevant articles (one article per JAS) and write a thorough summary of the information presented in each article (you must write a minimum of 200 words with a 400 word maximum per JAS). Be sure to provide the URL or the journal name, volume, date, and any other critical information to allow the facilitator to access and review each article.

 

To write your summary, click on REQUIRED ESSAYS and choose the JAS that you would like to complete. A writing program will automatically launch where you can write your summary. When you are ready to stop, click SAVE. Prior to course submission you may go back at any point to edit your summaries but you must be certain to click SAVE once you are done with your edits. For more information on the features of this assignment, please consult the HELP menu.

 

You must click SAVE before you write another summary or move on to another part of the course.

 

 

Instructor Description

Karen Lea holds a Ph.D. in education. Dr. Lea has 15 years’ experience teaching at the K–12 level and another 14 years’ experience teaching education courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Currently she is a lead program development owner at Western Governor’s University. Dr. Lea has been professionally published over 15 times and has served on over a dozen panels and boards, including that of the NCATE (CAEP) Board of Examiners.

 

 

Contacting the Instructor

You may contact the instructor by emailing karen_lea@virtualeduc.com or calling 509-891-7219 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PST. Phone messages will be answered within 24 hours. Phone conferences will be limited to ten minutes per student, per day, given that this is a self-paced instructional program. Please do not contact the instructor about technical problems, course glitches, or other issues that involve the operation of the course.

 

 

Technical Questions

If you have questions or problems related to the operation of this course, please try everything twice. If the problem persists please check our support pages for FAQs and known issues at www.virtualeduc.com and also the Help section of your course.

 

If you need personal assistance then email support@virtualeduc.com or call 509-891-7219. When contacting technical support, please know your course version number (it is located at the bottom left side of the Welcome Screen) and your operating system, and be seated in front of the computer at the time of your call.

 

Minimum Computer Requirements

Please refer to VESi’s website: www.virtualeduc.com or contact VESi if you have further questions about the compatibility of your operating system.

 

 

Refer to the addendum regarding Grading Criteria, Course Completion Information, Items to be Submitted, and how to submit your completed information. The addendum will also note any additional course assignments that you may be required to complete that are not listed in this syllabus.

 

 

Bibliography (Suggested Readings)

AdLit. (2023). Summarizing. https://www.adlit.org/in-the-classroom/strategies/summarizing

Anderson, C., & Glover, M. (2023). How do teachers get better at teaching writing? https://blog.heinemann.com/how-do-teachers-get-better-at-teaching-writing

Ashton University. (2023). Extra practice blending letter sounds helps struggling readers. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132401.htm

Baker, S., & Lastrapes, R. E. (2019). The writing performance of elementary students using a digital writing application: Results of a teacher-librarian collaboration. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 16(4), 343–362. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-08-2018-0057

Baxa, S. (2015). Enhancing students' understanding and revision of narrative writing through self-assessment and dialogue: A qualitative multi-case study. Qualitative Report, 20(10), 1682–1708. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2351

Bell, D. (2023, April 18). How to evaluate what your kids write. AIM Academy Online. https://debrabell.com/what-are-the-six-traits-of-good-writing/

Berne, J. (n.d.). Help students generate ideas through prewriting. AdLit. http://www.adlit.org/article/36070/

Blaine County School District. (2016). Teachers’ survival guide for creating successful writers. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/10761933/teachers-survival-guide-blaine-county-school-district

Boryga, A. (2022). How to work literacy instruction into all content areas. https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-to-work-literacy-instruction-into-all-content-areas/

Brookhart, S. M. (2013). How to create and use rubrics. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Caramela, S. (2023). Tips for making a great resume. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3207-resume-writing-tips.html

Chandrasegaran, A. (2013). The effect of a socio-cognitive approach to teaching writing on stance support moves and topicality in students’ expository essays. Linguistics and Education, 24(2), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2012.12.005

Coe, M., Hanita, M., Nishioka, V., Smiley, R., & Park, O.-C. (2011). An investigation of the impact of the 6+1 trait writing model on grade 5 student writing achievement, final report. IES and REL. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED527445.pdf

Conal, H. (2013). Academic essay writing in the first person: A guide for undergraduates. Nursing Standard, 13(44), 38–40. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns1999.07.13.44.1.c2644

Cox, J. (2019). 6 traits of writing. Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/six-traits-of-writing-2081681

Diederich, P. (1974). Measuring growth in English. National Council of Teachers of English.

Dominican University of California. (2018, January 17). Importance of teaching students how to write. https://dominicancaonline.com/skillful-writing/teaching-students-write/

Early, J. S. (2023). Teaching new genres: The PSA in ELA class. National Council of Teachers of English. https://ncte.org/blog/2023/01/psa-in-ela/

Education Northwest. (2021). 6+1 trait writing resources. https://educationnorthwest.org/resources/61-trait-writing-resources

Freese, C. (2014). Use word choice to set the mood. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/use-word-choice-to-set-the-mood

Gallagher, K. (2023). Teaching adolescent writers. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032682631

Gallo, C. (2022). 3 great reasons to sharpen your writing skills in 2023. Inc. https://www.inc.com/carmine-gallo/3-great-reasons-to-sharpen-your-writing-skills-in-2023.html#:~:text=One%20study%20found%20that%2073,professional%20development%20goals%20for%202023

Gillespie, A., & Graham, S. (2011) (adapted from). Evidence-based practices for teaching writing. http://www.teachingandlearningnetwork.com/uploads/1/2/7/6/12764277/evidence_based_practices_for_teaching_writing_-_adapted.pdf

Gillespie, A., Graham, S., Kiuhara, S., & Hebert, M. (2014). High school teachers’ use of writing to support students’ learning: A national survey. Reading and Writing, 27(6), 1043–1072. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-013-9494-8

Graham, S. (2019). Changing how writing is taught. Review of Research in Education, 43(1), 277–303. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X18821125

Hoffman, E. (2018, August 20). Whence cometh ideas? 10 fun idea-generating activities and story starters. https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/fun-story-starters-idea-generating-activities-for-writers

International Literacy Association. (n.d.). Choosing the best verb: An active and passive voice minilesson. Read. Write. Think. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/choosing-best-verb-active-280.html?tab=4

Jeong, H. (2015). Rubrics in the classroom: Do teachers really follow them? Language Testing in Asia, 5(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-015-0013-5

Karaer, G., Hand, B., & French, B. (2024). Examining the impact of science writing heuristic (SWH) approach on development of critical thinking, science and language skills of students with and without disabilities. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 51, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101443

K12 Reader. (n.d.). The relationship between reading and writing. http://www.k12reader.com/the-relationship-between-reading-and-writing/

Kulkarni, C., Wei, K. P., Le, H., Chia, D., Papadopoulos, K., Cheng, J., Koller, D., & Klemmer, S. R. (2014). Peer and self assessment in massive online classes. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 20(6), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1145/2505057

Laurenceanyway.com. (n.d.). Is writing better than typing? https://laurenceanywaysthemovie.com/is-writing-better-than-typing/

Linville, C. (2021). Real world writing: What employers expect. https://webpages.csus.edu/~sac16141/RealWorldWriting.pdf

Livingston, M., & Fink, L. S., R.W.T. (2012). The infamy of grading rubrics. English Journal, 102(2), 108–113. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1003154

McCully, C. (2015). Voice in literature and creative writing: A resource for teaching A-level English. University of Essex.

McKenzie, J. (1998). From start to finish. http://fno.org/sept98/infolit5.html

Myhill, D., Cremin, T., & Oliver, L. (2021). Writing as a craft: Re-considering teacher subject content knowledge for teaching writing. Research Papers in Education, 38(3), 403–425. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02671522.2021.1977376

NCTE [National Council of Teachers of English]. (2016). Organizing your writing. https://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Involved/DayonWriting/OrganizingYourWriting.pdf

NCTE. (2020, March 6). NCTE position paper on the role of English teachers in educating English language learners (ELLs). https://ncte.org/statement/teaching-english-ells/

NCTE. (2022, August 29). Position statement on writing instruction in school. https://ncte.org/statement/statement-on-writing-instruction-in-school/

National Writing Project. (2024). Writing and reading. http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/resources/write_read.csp

Orges, S. (2011, August 13). 5 ways to find your voice . . . in 5 voices. http://bekindrewrite.com/?s=find+your+voice

Peha, S. (2016). Be a better writer: For school, for fun, for anyone ages 10–15. Teaching That Makes Sense.

Peterson, L. (2019). The importance of good writing skills in the workplace. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-good-writing-skills-workplace-10931.html

Rosen, D. J. (2016). Websites for assessing writing. Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education, 5(1), 89–91. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6c93700f99c2dc9e5e71badf57ff829f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2042767

Santangelo, T., & Graham, S. (2015). How writing instruction, interventions, and assessment can improve student outcomes. The Bush Institute.

Sawchuk, S. (2023, January 17). 4 ways reading and writing interlock: What the research says. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/4-ways-reading-and-writing-interlock-what-the-research-says/2023/01

Schoonen, R. (2018, June 16). Are reading and writing building on the same skills? The relationship between reading and writing in L1 and EFL. Reading and Writing, 32, 511–535. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-018-9874-1

Shapiro, L. (2019, April 24). Laura Shapiro presentation [Video]. Retrieved February 24, 2024, from https://highlandliteracy.com/2019/06/03/dr-laura-shapiro-presentation-24th-april-2019/

Skyline College. (n.d.). 4: The writing process. http://accounts.smccd.edu/skyenglish/4Prewriting.pdf

Smekens, K. (n.d.). Six traits of writing: The ultimate guide. https://www.smekenseducation.com/6-Traits-of-Writing.html#Research

Smith, C. B. (2000). Successful use of the six traits in writing. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED481235.pdf

Spandel, V., & Lane, B. (n.d.). A collection of activities to teach writing according to the six-trait framework described in: Creating young writings: Using the six traits to enrich writing process in primary school classrooms. Tufts Literacy Corps. https://sites.tufts.edu/tuftsliteracycorps/files/2019/10/Felsman-Caitlin-Six-Trait-Writing-Activities.pdf

Stapa, S. H., & Majid, A. H. A. (2012). The use of first language in developing ideas in second language writing. American Journal of Social Issues and Humanities, 2(3), 148–151. https://www.academia.edu/26997542/The_use_of_first_language_in_developing_ideas_in_second_language_writing_according_to_Siti_Hamin_Stapa_and_Abdul_Hameed_Abdul_Majid

TeamZenBusiness. (2021, December 8). The benefits of writing competency in business. https://www.zenbusiness.com/blog/benefits-writing-competency-business/

University of Kansas. (2023, October 17). Study examines role of working memory, cognitive functions in English learners learning to write. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 25, 2024, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123352.htm

University of North Carolina. (2016). Passive voice. http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/

Whitaker, C. (2016). Best practices in teaching writing. https://www.learner.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/write-middle-interactive-best-practices-teaching-writing-1.pdf

Wilcox, K. C., & Jeffery, J. V. (2014). Adolescents’ writing in the content areas: National study results. Research in the Teaching of English, 49(2), 168–176.

 

Course content is updated every three years. Due to this update timeline, some URL links may no longer be active or may have changed. Please type the title of the organization into the command line of any Internet browser search window and you will be able to find whether the URL link is still active or any new link to the corresponding organization’s web home page.

 

 

Updated 10/22/24  JN