Looking for ways to help your students improve their writing? This October, Education Northwest will offer three different professional development opportunities for its acclaimed 6+1 Trait® Writing Model of Instruction & Assessment. Educators who plan to instruct colleagues in the model should attend the training of trainers, scheduled for October 13–15 at the Oregon coast. On October 26–27, two concurrent introductory institutes will take place in Atlanta, Georgia: the 6+1 Trait Wee Writers Institute and the 6+1 Trait Writing Across Content Areas Institute. Register for the institute of your choice by August 31 to receive the early bird rate.

6+1 Trait® Writing Institute for Presenters
October 13–15 in Cannon Beach, Oregon

This advanced institute will train literacy coaches, teacher leaders, administrators, and curriculum coordinators to conduct their own in-district, trait-based workshops. Participation in an introductory trait institute and classroom experience teaching the traits are prerequisites. Education Northwest’s lead facilitator of 6+1 Trait events, Jan Littlebear, has 18 years’ experience using the traits to teach elementary and secondary students, tutor students, and mentor teachers. Jan will guide participants in examining the research supporting the 6+1 Trait model; offer lesson design and curriculum mapping strategies; and demonstrate how to incorporate adult learning strategies into professional development workshops.

6+1 Trait® Writing Across Content Areas Institute
October 26–27 in Atlanta, Georgia

Created specifically for middle and high school teachers, this institute focuses on using the 6+1 Trait model to incorporate writing-to-learn activities across the content areas. Participants—ideally in interdisciplinary teams—will explore research-based strategies and design lessons for integrating writing in subjects including math, science, and social studies. Institute facilitator Jan Littlebear uses humor and best practices to demonstrate ways to introduce the traits to students using quick writes and other writing-to-learn activities. By the end of the institute, participants will also know how to use the traits to improve and assess longer, more formal writing assignments.

6+1 Trait® Wee Writers Institute
October 26–27 in Atlanta, Georgia

Introducing the traits at an early age helps students build a foundation for improving their writing throughout their school years. In this institute, teachers of grades PK–2 will learn the 6+1 Trait model using renowned children’s literature young students know and love. Carolyn McMahon, co-author of Education Northwest’s best-selling Wee Can® guidebooks, will teach participants a variety of ways to enrich writing experiences across the content areas. McMahon's fun and energetic style of presenting is infectious—participants in her workshops become immediately engaged in learning practical activities that are flexible, creative, take just minutes to prepare, and can be immediately implemented in the classroom.

To learn more about and register for one of these institutes, visit our calendar of events. Contact Mark Workman at 1.800.547.6339, ext. 572 with questions.