The Six Traits of Writing is a framework used to assess and teach writing skills. It focuses on six key qualities (aka traits) that are essential to effective writing: 1) Ideas, 2) Organization, 3) Sentence Fluency, 4) Word Choice, 5) Conventions, and 6) Voice.
In case you are wondering, the ideas are the content of a piece of writing. Are ideas important? Yes. Ideas are the most essential component of writing.
Paul B. Diederich is known for his work on writing pedagogy. In fact, Diederich’s 1961 Traits Model is a precursor to the Six Traits of Writing model and is considered one of the earliest systematic approaches to assessing writing. Diederich’s five traits were 1) Ideas, 2) Form, 3) Flavor, 4) Mechanics, and 5) Wording.
Diederich emphasized “ideas” as a fundamental aspect of writing. His traits model stressed the importance of originality, clarity, relevance, and depth of ideas presented in the text. Diederich believed that strong writing begins with strong ideas and that writers should strive to develop their ideas clearly and engagingly.
Once again, ideas are the most essential component of writing. According to Diederich’s research, it’s also what readers value most. Furthermore, Diederich thought that ideas and organization were the two most important traits, although readers valued mechanics above organization.
» It became quite clear that the largest cluster (of readers, drawn from all six occupational fields) was most influenced by the ideas expressed: their richness, soundness, clarity, development, and relevance to the topic and the writer’s purpose. — Measuring Growth in English (1974) by Paul B. Diederich
Do Teachers Teach Students About Getting Good Ideas? Can They?
Diederich explains that despite Ideas being so important, many teachers fail to teach students about ideas, and some even choose not to teach students about Ideas. Teachers provided two reasons:
» First, they hold that ideas are the product of Godgiven intelligence which teaching cannot alter; teaching can only help students express whatever ideas they may have more correctly and effectively. — Diederich
» Second, they believe that students have an inalienable right to express any ideas or opinions they have, and any indication by the teacher that some are better than others, and hence deserve higher grades, borders on censorship. — Diederich
Diederich did say that some teachers believe that they can help students improve the quality of their ideas:
» Other teachers reply that one can do something about the quality, development, and support of ideas in student papers by paying attention to them, raising questions about them, challenging them, and focusing attention on them in class discussion of selected papers. — Diederich
Furthermore, these teachers reported that their students liked it when teachers paid attention to their ideas:
» Students like it better when teachers take their ideas seriously and react to them than when they confine their attention to errors in expression. — Diederich
Based on my experience, I’ll put it even more strongly: Students love their ideas! Even students who create rambling messes of stream-of-consciousness writing love every idea they put forth. In fact, even when the writing is unintelligible, it’s difficult to convince these writers that their ideas lack control and quality.
Rules are objective, but ideas are personal. In a sense, ideas are who we are. And while students don’t enjoy being critiqued for the quality of their ideas, they prefer it over their ideas being ignored.
Writing teachers may wish to consider these two quotes when they examine their students’ writing:
» Seek first to understand, then to be understood. – Stephen Covey (1932-2012)
» People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. – Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
In short, if you don’t care about your students’ ideas, they won’t care what you have to say about the rest of their writing. How do I know this?
I began teaching at the end of a bilingual debacle when the writing was truly terrible. As I learned to teach writing, I learned to read and understand the ideas and content of what amounted to chicken scratches. Years later, a frustrated teacher showed me a piece of student writing that she didn’t know what to do with. Her jaw dropped when I began to read it aloud to her. She exclaimed, “How can you read that?”
Admittedly, I learned to read this kind of writing because I had taught third and fourth-grade ELL students at the tail end of a failed bilingual program. I explained to her that I also learned to read this kind of writing because I believe what students say is important. The point is that teachers are sometimes so biased against errors that they don’t “Seek first to understand.”
By the way, these two programs are extremely helpful in getting students to create clear, organized, thoughtful, creative, and logical writing. Take a look!
» Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay is the fastest and most effective way to teach students to get ideas, organize ideas, and create clear and organized multi-paragraph writing. That’s its purpose!
» Academic Vocabulary for Critical Thinking, Logical Arguments, and Effective Communication creates a foundation of clear, logical, and organized thinking! It’s a vital resource for both academic and professional success!
The Benefits of Valuing Ideas in Writing
Valuing students’ ideas in writing is crucial for creating a classroom full of writers. Whether students are naturally gifted or struggling writers, acknowledging and respecting their ideas provides the foundation for writing growth, creativity, and academic success. Let’s explore how valuing students’ ideas in writing benefits students.
1. Valuing Ideas Promotes Critical Thinking: Encouraging students to get and express their ideas helps them develop critical thinking skills. Reading, writing, and thinking are all inherently linked. Joan Didion famously said, “I don’t know what I think until I write it down.” Years later, she expanded on that: “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.”
2. Valuing Ideas Fosters Creativity: Every student has a unique perspective. Allowing them to express their ideas encourages creativity and innovative thinking.
3. Valuing Ideas Builds Confidence: When students feel that their ideas are valued, they feel valued. Feeling valued helps create confidence.
4. Valuing Ideas Increases Engagement in the Writing Process: Students are more likely to be engaged in the writing process when they are expressing ideas that interest them.
5. Valuing Ideas Encourages Ownership of Learning: Giving students the opportunity to share their ideas in writing promotes a sense of ownership over their learning. They become more invested in the writing process and take pride in their work.
6. Valuing Ideas Develops Communication Skills: Expressing ideas in writing requires students to communicate effectively. By focusing on their ideas, teachers help students improve their communication skills.
7. Valuing Ideas Prepares Students for Real-World Communication: People must express their ideas and opinions in real-world situations. Teaching students to articulate their thoughts effectively prepares them for various academic and professional contexts. Furthermore, it teaches students that good ideas count in both writing and real life.
8. Valuing Ideas Promotes Emotional Intelligence: Writing can be a powerful tool for emotional expression. Allowing students to share their ideas enables them to express their feelings, thoughts, and concerns, fostering emotional intelligence and well-being.
9. Valuing Ideas Encourages Reflection and Growth: When students are encouraged to express their ideas, they often reflect on their own thoughts and beliefs. This process of self-reflection can lead to personal growth, self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.
10. Valuing Ideas Prepares Students for Academic Success: In academic settings, students are often required to communicate their ideas both orally and through writing. By improving their ability to express their thoughts effectively, teachers are preparing students for future academic success.
11. Valuing Ideas Encourages the Exploration of Complex Topics: When students are encouraged to express their ideas, they are more likely to delve into complex topics and issues. This exploration allows them to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and fosters intellectual curiosity.
12. Valuing Ideas Facilitates Peer Learning: When students share their ideas in writing, it creates opportunities for peer learning. Students often explain things in ways that teachers don’t. Furthermore, students are often more open to engaging with ideas presented by peers.
Valuing Ideas Supports Different Levels of Writing Skill, Including Struggling Writers
If you don’t value ideas, you will likely have difficulty teaching writing to your class’s struggling writers. You may even have trouble getting them to write at all.
One of the greatest signs of valuing a person is to value their ideas. The reality of school is that students vary in their writing ability. When we value their ideas, we value what struggling writers have to say. To be clear, I’ve taught in some extreme situations in the inner city, and I know how bad it can get. But 20 years later, I still haven’t forgotten one struggling fourth-grade ELL student’s writing about how to clean a house. In fact, I haven’t thought about cleaning a house the same way since. As much as this student struggled in school, I read her paper and thought, “She will probably be okay in life.” And I was correct.
Point being: When we put ideas first, every student will eventually write. When we put ideas first, students soon want to improve their writing. Struggling writers learn to care about their writing because they care about their ideas. Caring about ideas is required to improve struggling students’ writing.
