As students enter the class have a paper on the overhead and invite them to score it (for the trait you are working on) using their rubrics and be ready to defend their scores. This should take no more than 5-10 minutes. After about 5-10 papers, students will have seen and commented on a range of performances. If daily sounds like too much, consider doing this a couple of times a week.

 

Plan a large group teaching activity which will build skills in the trait you are working on. This activity may take a full period or you may be able to do it in less time through a mini lesson.

 

Two times a quarter, students should revise their own work with an eye to the trait(s) that you are highlighting. Students should assess their own work and get feedback from at least one other student about their success with the trait so far. They can use a new piece, or a piece from their portfolio. The teacher should also assess these pieces and keep record of each student's progress.

 

One piece which shows evidence of revision on the trait(s) desired is submitted to the teacher for evaluation. Peer reviews and self reflections about the work history of the piece are also turned in.

 

Ask students to select something they wrote at the beginning of the year and save it. Assess this piece for all six traits. Toward the end of the year, assess another piece of student writing and discuss with students the areas in which they see the most growth and set some goals for their writing next year.

 

Grading should be based in part on the student's progress and part on the factual performance. Actual weight of these two components is left to the instructor's decision but decided upon and shared with students at the beginning of each grading period. (More information on grading is available....and even more is coming!)

 

Back to Getting to Know the Six Traits Page