Creating Young Writers: Using the Six Traits to Enrich Writing Process in Primary Classrooms

Build young writers’ competence and confidence with Vicki Spandel’s 6-Trait approach!    “[A]n essential read for primary writing teachers everywhere!”  —Wendy Ellis, Literacy Specialist, Arkansas State Department of Education   Creating Young Writers is now packed with more activities, more strategies, more lesson plans, and a goldmine of resources that every new or veteran educator should have! Vicki Spandel’s exploration of her powerful 6-trait approach will guide teachers in planning a successful elementary writing program that will help build strong writers from the very beginning!   The treasured resource for fostering early writing skills just got better!  Highlights more recommended books to use as mentor resources for every trait –including conventions! Expands teachers’ understanding of how to respond positively to every writer’s work. Encourages teachers who have not tried modeling with their students to do so with confidence. Offers positive assessment options for virtually ANY writer with revised continuums that focus on what beginning writers CAN do. Includes a study guide-oriented collection of discussion questions and challenging activities, perfect for a study group!

Table of Contents:
All chapters conclude with “Chapter In A Nutshell,” “Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities,” and “Sources Cited.” Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. Dedication. 1. Face to Face with the Six Traits. Where Do the Six Traits Come From? It's Meaning-Not Terminology-That Counts! Creating a Vision of Success. A Quick Review of the Traits–Through the Eyes of Judy's Students. Where Should I Begin? 2. Looking Within: Seeing Traits in Children's Writing. A Little Warm-Up. The Primary Connection. Tracking Down Ideas.Spotting Organization On the Hunt for Voice.In Search of Word Choice.Stalking Sentence Fluency. Noticing Organization. Last Thoughts. 3. Teaching Traits Conceptually. “Nothing to do with my curriculum.” Teaching the Concept of Ideas. Teaching Organization Conceptually. Teaching Voice Conceptually. Teaching Word Choice Conceptually. Teaching Fluency Conceptually. Teaching Conventions Conceptually. A Lesson in Anatomy Versus Just Doing It. 4. Trait by Trait–More Ideas for Teaching. Trait Basics. Teaching Ideas. Teaching Organization. Teaching Voice. Teaching Word Choice. Teaching Sentence Fluency. Teaching Conventions. Some Final Questions. 5. Making Changes. Are Portfolios Still With Us? Ready for Reflection? Revision: From Rough to Ready. Publishing. Final Reflections. 6. Modeling. Benefit 1: Learning About Writing As a Writer. Benefit 2: Showing Students the Process in Action. Benefit 3: Showing Students How to Deal With Specific Writing Challenges and Problems.Other Things to Model Secrets to Good Modeling. 7. Loving Books. Introduction. Books for Teaching Ideas. Books for Teaching Organization. Books for Teaching Voice. Books for Teaching Word Choice. Books for Teaching Sentence Fluency. Location, Location, Location. 8. Assessing Young Writers. Three Levels of Assessment. Importance = Impact. Large-Scale Assessment: Is it right for primary students? Teach from Your Heart. Improving Tests. Using Rubrics and Continuums: Creating a Vision of Success Features of Six-Trait Primary Continuums. Classroom Assessment: Keeping It Simple. The Dreaded Grades! What You Can Do. 9. Making Magic Happen. How Do You See It? In Arlene's Classroom.In Julie's Classroom. In Penny's Classroom. In Lois's Classroom.In Judy's Classroom. Making Your Own Magic. Appendix. Index.

About the Author :
Vicki Spandel was co-director of the teacher team that developed the 6-trait model and has designed instructional writing materials for all grade levels, K through college.  She is the author of Creating Writers and Creating Young Writers (Pearson Education), The 9 Rights of Every Writer (Heinemann), and The Write Traits Classroom Kits (Great Source Education). Vicki is a former language arts teacher, journalist, technical writer, and scoring director for over 80 state and district writing assessments.

Review :
"As a teacher-leader, I recommend Vicki Spandel's materials to fellow teachers, local, county, and state administrators, college professors, and student teachers. Her books, teaching guides, and podcasts never fail to impress educators from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience. Most importantly, her materials show students of all grade levels how to become stronger authentic writers." - Barbara Andrews, A.C.Stelle Middle School, Calabasas, CA