[beachmom]

This will help all of us who are just starting!

[mein10]

I hope that the little suggestions that some of us make will make easier for those of you just getting started to take a "step". It's overwhelming sometimes to think of doing something a bit differently that you have previously. Teaching the traits is truly easier than you think. Once you, yourself, know what they are, why they are important, and how to recognize them, you will naturally begin to talk/teach traits! It just becomes part of discussions, read alouds, and writing throughout the day. Kids begin to recognize the traits as they read and hopefully it transfers into their writing.

Here is an example. I wanted my students to use more figurative speech in their writing. I knew it would improve word choice and sentence fluency. I had to read many "anchor" texts to them and point out examples. We created a list of similies, onomotopia, and flashy vocubulary used by authors as we read for a week or two.

This past week, low and behold---even my most struggling reader and writer used onomotopia and the simile, "BAM!" and then, "He fell to the ground like a bag of rocks", in his writing !! I almost cried I was so happy. He GOT it.

I didn't spend two weeks going lesson by lesson. I didn't have detailed plans down to the minute. I just selected books that were rich in examples (Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr. Fox) and read them. I read to the class anyway!!! I just stopped more frequently, kept a list of what we were looking for, and modeled.

Have fun. Don't be afraid. Learn the traits and start, "Talking Traits". You can do it!!

[icare]

I'm so glad to hear someone else does it that way without detailed, mapped out plans. My kids are better writers this year than ever before. Besides reading the texts and making the charts I also have them read their books and use post its to mark the trait we're looking for. Then we get together and they share what they found.

I incorporated conventions into my teaching all year. I don't wait and teach it separately.

[mein10]

The point of the Six Traits isn't that you teach one for a month and don't mention the others. You do mini lessons on them but you are always talking the the others. Kids need to see that they are doing some of the traits very well, but need work on the others. That's powerful. It's so much better than red marks all over a page marking capitals and missing punctuation! Yes, those are important, but they can be caught in the editing stage. That's when a child sees that they do well on the other traits and a goal is to improve conventions. I use the DLR (Daily Language Review) every day all year. It takes about 10 minutes and is a spiral approach to grammar. I LOVE it. The kids do that for bellwork then we quickly check it together on the document camera. Conventions--taught! Then in the editing stage I am able to say, "Pretend your paper is your DLR, what do you need to fix here?"

It's helped.

[mohawk]

I am officially inspired. I felt a bit daunted at the idea of teaching Traits, but what you wrote in your previous post made me feel much better. I was looking for a 'script' to teach traits and know now I don't have to have one. Thanks!!!

[mein10]

I'm so glad to hear it. Keep posting. We are all here to help!