Conventions: Definition Conventions are textual traditions. They have grown out of the need for conformity to make text easier to follow. Anything a professional proofreader deals with in getting text ready for publication falls under this heading: spelling, punctuation, grammar and usage, paragraphing, and capitalization. Neatness, while important, is not considered as conventions and is included under presentation. 1 Conventions in Young Writers2 What to look for text (Beginning Level): • Left-to-right orientation on the page • Correct directionality for letters and punctuation marks • Experimentation with punctuation, whether correct or not • Readable spelling (you can tell what the words are) • Use of capitals, whether placed correctly or not • Application of ‘classroom’ conventions- for example, name on paper, date on paper, use of title. What to look for in text (Advanced Level): • Phonetic spelling on more difficult words • Correct spelling of simple words • Terminal punctuation that is correct-or mostly correct • Capital letters on names • Capital letters to begin sentences • Correct use of periods and question marks • Experimentation with quotation marks 1 McMahon, Carolyn, and Warrick, Peggy (August 2005). Wee Can Write: Using 6+1 Trait Writing Strategies with Renowned Children’s Literature. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory: Portland, OR. 2 Spandel, Vicki. (2004). Creating Young Writers: Using the Six Traits to Enrich Writing Process in Elementary Classrooms. • Use of exclamation points • Use of commas in a series • Experimentation with more sophisticated punctuation marks- for example, parentheses, semicolons, colons, dashes, ellipses, and so on • Indentation or double spacing to show a new paragraph SAU 21 K-3 Developmental Continuum for Conventions ______ ________ _______ ____ K Standard Grade 1 Standard Grade 2 Standard Grade 3 Standard Spelling Writes one to several sight Consistent spelling of high Spelling of high frequency words Spells sight words and many words frequency words correct challenging words correctly, with close spelling on other words Attempts semi-phonetic Uses phonetic spelling (MOSTR, Transitional spelling on less frequent spelling HUMN, KLOSD) words(monstur, humun, clossed) Easily confused words usually correct (to-two-too; right-write; than-then; there-they’re-their; a- an; are-or-our ; it’s -its; knew-new; know-no; hear-here) Capitalization Uses mixed capitals and Uses capitals and lower case Uses capitals and lower case with fair Usually capitalizes first word of lower case letters consistency sentence, titles, months and days, Sometimes capitalizes Capitals at beginning of sentences , first word of sentence possibly on proper nouns Punctuation Some periods at end of Usually uses period for end End punctuation (.?!) used correctly. Basic punctuation is used sentences punctuation correctly and/or creatively. Other punctuation marks may be Random punctuation Experiments with other end attempted (hyphen, ellipses, Commas and apostrophes are punctuation (!, ?) apostrophe, comma, colon, semi- used correctly. colon) Other punctuation marks may be used to enhance meaning May experiment with quotation marks in dialogue Correctly uses quotation marks in dialogue most of the time Longer papers with multiple supporting ideas may be written as Some evidence of separation of one long paragraph main ideas into paragraphs Sentence Attempts spaces between Consistently uses spaces Creates simple sentences by May use commas/conjunctions to Sense and words, writing left to right, between words, writes left to right, combining nouns and verbs correct run-on sentences Convention uses top and bottom and uses top and bottom space. of Print space Overall Message may be inferred Mechanics sometimes obscure Mechanics make meaning clear Creates easy-to-read text with Readability from text meaning few errors Conventions Exemplars for Kindergarten Standard Exemplars are based on where students should be at the end of the year. Exemplars are only provided for grade level standards K-3. Kindergarten Paper Title Explanation Standard Spelling: Big Fish Several sight words are correctly written. There is evidence of Writes one to several semi-phonetic spelling as well as mixed capitals and lower case sight words; Attempts letters. A period is used at the end of the writing and there are semi-phonetic spelling spaces between the words. The message matches the picture Capitalization: and is easy to read. Uses mixed capitals and Monkey Several sight words are correctly written. There is evidence of lower case letters; semi-phonetic spelling as well as mixed capitals and lower case Sometimes capitalizes first word of sentence. letters. A period is used at the end of the writing and there are spaces between the words. The message matches the picture Punctuation: and is easy to read. Some periods at end of sentences; Random Aquarium Several sight words are correctly written. Periods appear at punctuation the end of each sentence. Sentence Sense and Conventions of Print: Attempts spaces Bible Periods appear at the end of each sentence. Mostly lower between words, writing case letters are used. left to right, uses top and bottom space Overall Readability: Message may be inferred from text Conventions Exemplars for Grade 1 Standard Note: Exemplars are based on where students should be at the end of the year. Exemplars are only provided for grade level standards K-3. Grade 1 Standard Paper Title Explanation words; Uses phonetic spelling Cookout The writer consistently spelled sight words (MOSTR, HUMN, KLOSD) correctly. Capitals are used at the beginning of Spelling: Consistent spelling of each sentence. Remaining letters are lower case. high frequency Periods appear at the end of each sentence. Capitalization: Uses capitals Spacing makes the piece very readable. and lower case Punctuation: Usually uses period for end punctuation; Animorphs Sight words are spelled consistently. Each sentence Experiments with other end starts with a capital letter and ends with punctuation (!, ?) punctuation. The writer experiments with and correctly uses quotation marks. Spacing does hinder Sentence Sense and readability. Conventions of Print: Consistently uses spaces between words, writes left to right, and uses top and bottom Yesterday The paper has consistent spelling of sight words. space. Each sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with punctuation (.!) Spacing hinders readability. Overall Readability: Mechanics sometimes obscure meaning Conventions Exemplars for Grade 2 Standard Exemplars are based on where students should be at the end of the year. Exemplars for Conventions are only provided for grade level standards K-3. Grade 2 Standard Title Explanation Spelling: Spelling of high Magic Sight words are spelled correctly and challenging words are frequency words correct; Halloween close to the correct spelling. Most sentences and proper Transitional spelling on less nouns begin with capital letters. End punctuation is used frequent words(monstur, correctly. Exclamation points are used to enhance the story. humun, clossed) Nouns, verbs, and pronouns are used correctly. Capitalization: Uses capitals and lower case with fair consistency; Capitals at beginning of sentences , possibly on proper nouns Punctuation: End punctuation Animal Day Sight words are spelled correctly and challenging words are (.?!) used correctly. Other close to the real spelling. Capitals are used correctly at the punctuation marks may be beginning of all sentences. Periods are used accurately at attempted (hyphen, ellipses, the end of sentences. No other end punctuation is apostrophe, comma, colon, attempted. semi-colon)May experiment with quotation marks in dialogue ; Longer papers with multiple supporting ideas may be written as one long paragraph Sentence Sense and Desert of Some errors in sight word spellings. Harder words are spelled phonetically but it doesn’t detract from the Conventions of Print: Creates Maine readability. Capital letters are mostly used at the beginning simple sentences by combining of sentences and sometimes used for proper nouns. End nouns and verbs punctuation is used correctly throughout. Quotation marks Overall Readability: Mechanics are attempted. Some simple sentences have been combined make meaning clear effectively. Conventions Exemplars for Grade 3 Standard Exemplars are based on where students should be at the end of the year. Exemplars for Conventions are only provided for grade level standards K-3. Grade 3 Standard Title Explanation Spelling: Spells sight words Sledding Spelling is generally accurate. Capital letters are used and many challenging words consistently (beginning of sentences & proper nouns). A correctly, with close spelling on variety of end punctuation is used correctly. Other other words; Easily confused punctuation is used correctly (ellipses & commas). words usually correct (to-two- too; right-write; than-then; there-they’re-their; a-an; are- or-our ; it’s -its; knew-new; know-no; hear-here) Capitalization: Usually capitalizes first word of The Miami Spelling is mostly accurate. Capitalization is correct at sentence, titles, months and Boys sentence beginnings and proper nouns. A wide variety of days punctuation is used creatively and correctly throughout Punctuation: Basic punctuation (“What……how?!, quotation marks, commas, number is used correctly and/or symbol, colon). Punctuation makes the dialogue clear. creatively; Commas and apostrophes are used correctly; Other punctuation marks may be used to enhance meaning; Correctly uses quotation marks in dialogue most of the time; Some evidence of separation of Roof All spelling is accurate. Capital letters are used correctly main ideas into paragraphs throughout. A variety of end punctuation, quotations marks, commas, and ellipses are used correctly and Sentence Sense and conventions of Print: May use effectively. Apostrophes and hyphens are generally used commas/ conjunctions to correctly. Simple sentences are combined effectively to correct run-on sentences enhance the pieces. Punctuation makes the dialogue clear. Overall Readability: Creates easy-to-read text with few errors .