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Practical, Fun-To-Use Handbook Gets Parents Involved in the Traits of Effective Writing

If you are the parent of a K–12 student, there’s a good chance you’ve heard him or her talk about “word choice” and “sentence fluency” while writing a paper or telling you what they learned at school. That’s because thousands of classrooms around the globe use these characteristics of effective writing as part of the 6+1 Trait® Writing Model of Instruction & Assessment. Teachers like the model because it provides a clear, common language to communicate with even the youngest students about what good writing looks like and how students can assess their own writing. Now parents can get to know the traits and establish a foundation for talking to their children about writing throughout their school lives with the latest edition of Dear Parent: A Handbook for Parents of 6+1 Trait® Writing Students.

Nearly a decade had passed since the second edition of Dear Parent was published, and a major renovation was in order. Peter Bellamy, lead trainer for NWREL’s 6+1 Trait Writing Model, has made significant updates to the third edition. Major differences of the delightfully redesigned book include the addition of presentation (the “plus one” trait), as well as new writing samples by grade level.

“Many schools do not have—or do not make—time for writing instruction, even though it’s a pivotal skill for students’ future ability to communicate,” explains Bellamy. “Parents can serve a critical supplemental role in supporting their students’ development in writing and speaking simply by listening and occasionally interjecting thoughtful questions that encourage kids to elaborate or be more specific in their sharing, whether it is verbal or in writing.” The handbook offers practical ways parents can support their childrens’ efforts to become strong, confident, and skilled writers and speakers.

“One of the easiest ways parents of young students can incorporate the trait vocabulary into the daily routine is to read to them from quality literature and then talk about the writing skills they hear,” suggests Bellamy. “This has the dual advantage of addressing the skills of both writing and reading as well as demonstrating for youngsters the connection between the two.” Dear Parent proposes several vehicles for promoting the reading-writing connection throughout the day: newspaper articles during breakfast, billboards along the commute to school, recipe books while cooking dinner, writing the parent has done for work or the student has done for school, and so on. Taking advantage of everyday opportunities to discuss and assess writing of all kinds and forms is a constructive way to support your student-writer’s progress.

The third edition of Dear Parent is presented in a bright, fun, and easy-to-read format that parent and student can use together. In addition to a plethora of tips and resources, a scoring guide shows parents what students are using to assess their own work. Before-and-after writing examples, with teachers’ comments included, reveal how teachers use the traits to score student writing. Another section offers concrete ways to make writing stronger, trait by trait.

Member schools can purchase sets of 20 handbooks for the low price of $21 plus shipping. Individual copies for members are only $2.50.

To order copies and to find out about all of NWREL’s 6+1 Trait Writing products, upcoming events, and services visit www.thetraits.org. Copies of Dear Parent: A Handbook for Parents of 6+1 Trait® Writing Students can also be obtained by calling 800-547-6339, ext. 519.