Writing
R.A.F.T.S. Writing Assignment for the Week:
Write a friendly Letter
dear_juno_raft-_student_template.docx | |
File Size: | 29 kb |
File Type: | docx |
What is R.A.F.T.S. Writing?
R.A.F.T.S. is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. By using this strategy, teachers encourage students to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences. Why use R.A.F.T.S.?
- It includes writing from different viewpoints.
- It helps students learn important writing skills such as audience, main idea, and organization.
- It teaches students to think creatively about writing by responding to the following prompts:
Role of the Writer: Who or what are you as the writer? A pilgrim? A soldier? The President?
Audience: To whom are you writing? A friend? Your teacher? Readers of a newspaper?
Format: In what format are you writing? A letter? A poem? A speech?
Topic: What are you writing about? Why? What's the subject or the point?
- It can be used across various content areas
Formal Writing Assignment for the Week:
Personal Narrative
What are the Six + 1 Traits of Writing?
6 + 1 Traits of Writing 6 + 1 Traits is a unique way of instructing writing that was developed by Ruth Culham. Many times writing is more heavily evaluated and taught for mechanical correctness. However, 6 +1 Traits sees mechanics/conventions as one facet of writing. This method focuses on many other areas of writing and not just conventions. So often students who lacked substance in their writing, but had great mechanics received better scores than student's writing that lacked in mechanics, but had great substance. 6 + 1 Traits levels the playing field to create well rounded writers.
- Conventions: mechanics, spelling, grammar usage
- Word Choice: grade-level vocabulary the author utilizes
- Sentence Fluency: the flow of the writing, varied sentence patterns and lengths
- Organization: how the writing is structured
- Voice: the personal touch that conveys the author's tone
- Ideas: the main idea or message of the writing
- Presentation: neatness and proper format
Contact Mrs. Spalt at [email protected] with questions or concerns. Copyright © July 2011. All Rights Reserved. Image credit: http://teacherweb.com/IL/PecatonicaElementary/Wanke/writingban.gif,http://teacherweb.com/IL/PecatonicaElementary/Wanke/writingban.gif, and http://www.sbac.edu/%7Etpl/clipart/Education/pencil%20and%20paper.jpg