Customer Reviews

Creating Writers Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction, Third Edition

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was written for writing teachers struggling to find a way to help their students improve, and veterans looking for a new approach. The 6 traits are ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Any characteristic of writing can be placed under one of these traits. The traits provide a common terminology for writing conferences, and help students focus on a specific area that can vastly improve their writing.

This practical, application-based book is filled with instructional techniques, rubrics, guidelines, sample essays, trouble-shooting solutions, mini-lessons, great ideas, and so much more. This was a required text in one of my graduate courses and is now my favorite book on writing instruction. If I could give it six stars, one for each trait, I certainly would.

Creating Writers got me charged up and well-prepared for teaching sriting/revision using the 6 Trait model. Spandel writes well, using a combination of research-based information and personal anecdotes to keep the reader's attention. I appreciate the number and variety of samples she included for practice revision/assessment. The samples were, however, not very easy to duplicate for classroom use. The print is too small and there are often two samples on one page, or one sample on several pages. The layout is difficult to work with. Overall, though, the book is excellent. I have been to two training sessions about 6 Traits, but it took Spandel's book to get me hooked and enthusiastic, and made me confident about using the 6 Traits in the classroom.The information deserves a 5 star rating. The format deserves a 2.

This book gives so many examples of the qualities to look for and teach in writing instruction. I especially like the fact that this edition is more inclusive of secondary ideas and samples.

With this book as a guide, it is hard to miss what is important to the writing instructional process. The information is comprehensive and user friendly.

Spandel's book is an authentic, engaging, and encouraging read for those that teach writing, want help infusing writing, or want to enhance their own writing. It is written conversationally and is well supported with numerous examples. I found it visually appealing as a reader and insightful. (Another review didn't like the visuals because it isn't easy to lift examples "as is" for sharing in class. To that angle I agree, but as a reader the layout is very pleasing.) Highly recommended.

This textbook was written by two of the current, foremost people in Six Traits: Vicki Spandel and Richard Stiggins. It covers the information often learned in Six Trait training workshops, but also goes beyond training to teacher instruction, troubleshooting, sharing, and involving parents. Nice work!

This is an excellent text chocked full of advice, checklists, models, and examples of student writing. For the Six Traits teacher, this book belongs in your collection of Six Trait materials.

This book offers tons of practical approaches and practice scoring for the 6 Traits of Writing. It is written by a recognized master in the field and has been so helpful.

I love teaching using the 6 trait approach. The reviews look great on this book, but I haven't bought it yet. I was wondering what grade levels it is geared for. I teach 4th grade. Thanks!

This is a good book. It was my text for a self paced class with University of San Diego. Easy to follow. Good examples.

Very well done and easy to understand. Samples are good and support the ideas throughout.

I found this book to be very helpful, user friendly, and filled with good information. Writing Across the Curriculum is here and alive in education - this book helps.