Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction: A Guide for K-5 Teachers - Softcover

Children's literature plays a critical role in any successful literacy program. Yet with the strong emphasis on reading proficiency, many teachers are struggling to include writing instruction in their literacy programs. This book shows teachers how to make the most of the reading-writing connection by using children's literature to improve their students' writing. Author Rebecca Olness presents six traits that characterize effective writing: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. You'll learn how to use these six traits - based on the Six-Trait Analytical Writing Model originally used to assess writing - to teach writing. The chapters describe the six traits and present ideas and strategies for helping students; find good ideas and details, organize ideas, express personality through voice, choose the right words, apprehend fluency and rhythm, and edit for conventions. The chapters also provide assessments, sample lesson plans, and annotated bibliographies of children's literature to guide your instruction. As you teach your students to recognize the six traits in the children's literature they read, you'll help them infuse the traits into their own writing. Use this book to immerse your students in reading and writing and, ultimately, help them become better writers.