Typically when we think of assessment, we moan and sigh because we don't want to give our students another meaningless test. Especially when the data is not helpful or doesn't give us any insight into our students. Instead, we must use meaningful assessment tools to help us drive our instruction to meet the needs of our students.
At our conference day this past May, we presented the 6+ 1 Writing Traits from the work of Ruth Culham. Through the use of assessment, we can determine the traits in which we need to focus our instruction to help meet the NEEDS of our students!
Assessment helps to...
- create a shared vocabulary
- determine what "good" writing looks like
- assess with consistency and accuracy
- provides meaningful feedback
- students begin to be self-evaluators
- aligns assessments with instruction and writers' needs
In September, give your students the 6 Traits Writing Assessment (Spandel). Score each student in each trait using the 6 Trait Rubric (In our district we have opted to use our own district rubric that is similar to the 6 traits). Look for commonalities. In what area do the majority of your students need instruction? Start there! This will help determine your writing minilessons for September. Then, you can begin creating small guided writing groups and individual conferences around the other areas you notice.
Keep your data! Make a spreadsheet for each trait. This will help to guide your instruction throughout the school year.
Things to keep in mind:
- Traits can spiral
- You can teach specific traits for different genres
- You don't have to focus on all the traits at once
Assessment should be meaningful, informative, and worthwhile.
Have you tried teaching the 6 Traits in your classroom? How has assessment helped you in Writer's Workshop?
-Launa Kruithof
