Entry 4: The RAFT strategy and the Six traits in writing

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What I understood about "The RAFT strategy in language arts"

The RAFT strategy is a valuable technique that encompasses the components of a role, audience, format, and topic in writing assignments. This approach helps students clarify their purpose, perspective, and message delivery to a specific audience in a chosen format. It encourages creativity and critical thinking in the writing process.

The abbreviation R.A.F.T represents

R- role

A. Audience

F- format

T- topic

 

According to William.s (1821-1873), “This RAFT strategy lends itself to use with works of art and to helping students develop their ideas and organize their approach before they begin to write.”

Here is a video to further explain: https://youtu.be/GB9VV02Cmas?si=VBkahd9PV2A4SnCD

How to implement the RAFT framework

RAFT activity: The Promised Land—The Grayson Family (preview)

Description: https://www.terraamericanart.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/William_S_Jewett_The_Promised_Land-The_Grayson_Family_1850_TFAA_1999.79.jpg

William S. Jewett (1821–1873)
The Promised Land – The Grayson Family, 1850
Oil on canvas
50 3/4 x 64 in. (128.9 x 162.6 cm)
Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection, 1999.79

 

 

Directions for teachers:

1.    Introduce students to the painting The Promised Land—The Grayson Family (or another work of art for which information is available). Have students read about it and discuss the story it tells.

2.    Show examples of ideas for the RAFT based on The Promised Land.

3.    Next, project the table below on the board. Ask students to pick a role from the chart, and identify an audience, format, topic, and questions for their written piece to answer.

4.    Give students a copy of the Role Development Chart worksheet and have them complete it before they begin writing.

Role

Audience

Format

Topic

Man

 

 

 

Woman

 

 

 

Boy

 

 

 

Artist (William S. Jewett)

 

 

 

 

Questions to Answer for your RAFT: 

Question 1

Question 2

 

Question 3

 

 

Use the link to access the full artifact of the activity: https://www.terraamericanart.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/RAFT-for-AACL-FINAL.pdf

                                    

The six traits of writing framework

With its six core components (idea, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and convention), it offers a structured method for assessing and enhancing writing skills.

If you are wondering how they do this; here is how:

Ideas- this trait focuses on the content and the main message of the writing. Effective writers generate clear and engaging ideas, making sure their writing is interesting and relevant to the topic.

Organization- this one assesses the structure and flow of the writing. Strong organization ensures that the writing has a clear beginning, middle, and end with logical transitions between ideas.

Voice- is the personality and tone of the writer that comes through in the text. A strong voice reflects the writer’s individuality and passion, making the writing more engaging.

Word choice deals with selecting precise and descriptive words that enhance the reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the text. It uses a variety of vocabulary to convey ideas.

Sentence fluency- evaluates the rhythm and flow of the sentences in the writing.

Convention- refers to the mechanics of the writing. This includes grammar, punctuation, spelling, and how they are used. Convention ensures that the writing is clear and professional.

Furthermore, the “six plus one trait of writing” extends the original frameworks by introducing a seventh trait, presentation. The presentation focuses more on the visual aspect of a written work. It outlines neatness, format, ting, and multimedia elements.


References

Google image result for HTTPS://iste.web.unc.edu/WP-content/uploads/sites/21984/2021/01/3.png. (n.d.). Invalid Dynamic Link. https://images.app.goo.gl/bNWMASRQ1VmuScbk7

Krueger, V. (2017, March 7). 8 steps for building your writing process. Poynter. https://www.poynter.org/educators-students/2017/8-steps-for-building-your-writing-process/

(n.d.). Terra Foundation for American Art – The Terra Foundation fosters intercultural dialogues and encourages transformative practices to expand narratives of American art. https://www.terraamericanart.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/RAFT-for-AACL-FINAL.pdf

William S. Jewett (1821–1873).https://www.terraamericanart.org/tools-for-teachers/raft-writing-strategies/

I have been teaching for 4 years in service . As a teacher, you learn that there is no specific age limit that someone stops learning. We learn something new everyday, as a student teacher I am here to share my knowledge obtained through this writing course. On this blog you will read about promoting writing in primary grade. Feel free to leave your comments.

Comments

  1. Christa29 October 2023 at 07:10

    A clear understanding of the RAFT strategy was done-breaking down its components (role, audience, format, and topic) and their relevance in writing assignments. The explanation helps in guiding students toward purposeful and audience-centered writing. Alongside the step-by-step guide for teachers to implement the RAFT strategy using a specific painting as a prompt is detailed and helpful. It effectively demonstrates how to introduce the concept, generate ideas, and create the framework for writing.

    While the concept is explained well, including visual aids or examples of completed RAFT charts could enhance the comprehension of how the strategy works. Showcasing a completed chart based on the painting or providing examples of student-generated RAFT frameworks might offer a more tangible understanding for the teacher and students.

    Additionally, you effectively broke down the six traits of writing, highlighting the importance of each trait in the writing process. The breakdown provides a clear understanding of what each trait entails. However, providing examples or exercises for each trait, perhaps linked to different grade-level writing samples, could further solidify the understanding of how to assess and improve writing based on these traits.

    Overall, the piece has sufficiently laid out the foundations of both strategies and offers a structured approach for both teachers and students to understand and implement these writing frameworks.





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