Teach the Traits
of Effective Writing ...
A "How To" guide for the teaching of writing
How do you teach writing to all students, including those who struggle the most? Using Teach the Traits of Effective Writing, teachers will learn “how” to teach the traits of effective writing: sentence fluency, rich precise word choice, organization, ideas, conventions, voice and also presentation. The “how” is critical to the success of a writing program. This manual provides a step-by-step process for teaching these requisite traits of writing. Using a multi-sensory approach, teachers will find multiple strategies and lessons. They will discover over 100 six traits lesson plans designed for immediate implementation. Over 100 charts and graphic organizers are also included to make teaching effective and easy. The information from Teach the Traits of Effective Writing provides teachers with the understanding and resources to enable their students to make creativity and voice clamber, climb and crawl through organized, detailed, well-written pieces of writing. These methods work!
Teach the Traits of Effective Writing is divided into three sections:
Part I: The "language" of reading and writing
Learn ways to:
- Develop sentence variation/sentence fluency
- Develop Vocabulary - rich, precise word choice.
- Address conventions - punctuation, spelling, and paragraphing.
Part II: Voice
Learn ways to:
- Teach the basics of descriptive writing using the Show Me, Don't Tell Me elements of Mood.
- Use Show Me, Don't Tell Me strategies to eliminate passive voice in student writing.
- Use the Show Me elements to add voice to narrative and expository writing.
Part III: Expository and Informational Writing
Learn ways to:
- Provide structure for student writers, especially those who struggle.
- Use graphic organizers.
- Organize ideas with clear support.
- Use power writing's numerical structure to eliminate the ambiguity of organization.
- Learn multiple strategies for the addition of details including the use of art work.
- Learn how to add vitality, voice, and creativity to structured writing.
Teach the Traits of Effective Writing:
- Includes a guide to a multi-sensory step-by-step teaching program, building on the mastery of each step.
- Allows teachers to integrate new strategies from Teach the Traits of Effective Writing with the strategies they already use.
- Enriches your own personal and professional writing for a variety of purposes and audiences…especially for your advanced-degree classes and testing.
"Good writing happens when human beings follow particular steps to take control of their sentences to make writer's words do what they want them to do."
- Ralph Fletcher