At this point in the year, all students should have been taught the steps of the writing process (see Literacy Wiki for Writing Process resources/charts). Students at Kindergarten level should have covered Prewriting (as planning, telling your story, telling it across your hand, etc.) and students should be drafting, even if only in labeling parts of their pictures (most kids can label something by now). Sketching is an important component of kindergarten writing, and I consider it "drafting", too, at this point, as long as the picture matches the students oral story. Some traits to focus on right now are Ideas and Organization and, of course, Conventions. Sentence Fluency, Word Choice, and Voice should be introduced in your read-alouds so that you can start pointing out these traits in other authors' writings. Once Ideas and Organization are pretty well under control, then we can begin to focus more on Sentence Fluency, Word Choice, and Voice. Conventions are taught throughout the process.
We have to begin with the writing process so that students know what to do when they write. Spending time at the first part of the year getting procedures in place for Writer's Workshop and for the writing process will pay off later on as students learn to self-direct more.
Important resources for Writer's Workshop and the Six Traits:
Writing Workshop, the Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher
Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher
Wonder Writers cards/resources from Rigby
Six Traits Websites:
http://educationnorthwest.org/traits/trait-definitions
http://www.imschools.org/uploads/4/0/8/7/40873415/overview6traits.pdf
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.