Components of Writing

These are the components of the Six Traits Model + 1:

1.       Ideas:   The ideas are the heart of the message, the content of the piece, the main theme, together with the details that enrich and develop that theme.

2.       Organization:  Organization is the internal structure of a piece of writing, the thread of central meaning, the logical and sometimes intriguing pattern of the ideas. The piece has a beginning, middle and an end.

3.       Voice:  The voice is the heart and soul, the magic, the will, along with the feeling and conviction of the individual writer coming out through the words. The reader should feel the enthusiasm of the writer.

4.       Word Choice:  Word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that moves and enlightens the reader.

5.       Sentence Fluency:  Sentence fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of work patterns, and the way in which the writing plays to the ear - not just to the eye. The sentences should be clear and easy to read.

6.       Conventions:  Conventions are the mechanical correctness of the piece - spelling, grammar and usage, paragraphing, use of capitals, and punctuation.

7.       +1 Presentation:  Presentation zeros in on the form and layout of the text and its readability: the piece should be pleasing to the eye.

The MCAS score guide, using 2 major areas:

1.       Topic / Idea Development

2.       English conventions

                http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/student/elacomp_scoreguide.html

The MCAS Writing prompt Long composition scoring is broken down into these 2 areas, with 7 components:

Composition Topic:
1.       Topic Development
2.       Organization, Logical Conclusions
3.       Accurate, Relevant Evidence, Detail
4.       Voice, Tone, Style

Composition Conventions:
1.       Structure
2.       Grammar and Usage
3.       Spelling, Capitalization, Punctuation

Here is a Rubric for Long composition (located on teacher's website):

            http://home.earthlink.net/~jhholly/writingpromptrubric.pdf

Writing Programs

EmPOWER Writing Program
by Dr. Bonnie Singer, Architects For Learning®
(Previous known as Innovative Learning Partners)

What type of writing program is EmPower:

Highly structured, explicitly taught strategies, instructional in nature with direct processing for writing with the aid of specific visual tools enfolded in the writing process.

Thinking About Language
Helping Students Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say
A Landmark School Teaching Resource
by Roberta Stacey

Designed for professionals who work with elementary and middle-school students in language development, this book focuses on oral expression. Speech-language pathologists, special education instructors and classroom teachers will find This book is a useful as a diagnostic tool, as a guide for teaching receptive and expressive language skills, as a desk reference, and as a resource for word lists and practical templates for student use. The materials in this Teaching Resource have been refined through over thirty years of teaching students with language-based learning disabilities.

From Talking to Writing: Strategies for Scaffolding Expository Expression
A Landmark School Teaching Guide
by Terrill M. Jennings and Charles W. Haynes

This guide gives you tools to help children find topics, retrieve words, formulate sentences, or sequence their ideas. Help your students "get the words out" and "get them down on paper".
The teaching methodology in this book has been refined through over 30 years of teaching students with language-based learning disabilities. (Appropriate for individuals who work with students of any age or grade level who experience difficulty writing at the sentence and paragraph levels.)

These two student workbooks that are intended for use with From Talking to Writing: Strategies for Scaffolding Expository Expression.

Project Read©/Language Circle©

Is a research based mainstream language arts program for students who need a systematic learning experience with direct teaching of concepts and skills through multisensory techniques.  Project Read© has five curriculum strands:
1. Phonology, 2. Linguistics, 3. Reading Comprehension – Report Form, 4. ·Reading Comprehension – Story Form, 5. Written Expression.
(See the Project Read website for more information.) 

P.O. Box 20631
Bloomington, MN  55420
(800) 450-0343
www.projectread.com

Writing/thinking Organizers:

Thinking Maps, Inc.

Articles about Writing Disabilities

	This web page was created on September 20, 2005, by Melody Orfei Webpage last modified on August 18, 2010 - V7, by Melody Orfei
o.mel@verizon.net