Sentence Patterns

Sentence patterns are structures that can be used to encourage emergent writers to generate ideas. An example of a simple pattern is "I like......"

Each child in the class would be asked to complete the sentence and illustrate what they like. All the responses would then be compiled into a class book. More complex patterns can be used to encourage a variety of sentence structure. For example, "I like to play ____ because I ______."

Teachers may also choose to ask students to write something that is in the pattern of a favourite book. Books that include a pattern that is repeated many times are most suitable for this activity.

Resources

These are a few examples of books and series that can be used for pat- terned writing activities:

Tadpoles (Prentice Hall Ginn Canada)

The Midnight Barn (Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd.)

Let's Be Friends Series (Nelson Canada)

Jeremiah and Mrs. Ming (Annick Edu- cational Press)

Franky Can (Breakwater Books Ltd.)

Farmer Joe's Hot Day (Scholastic Canada Ltd.)

Advanced Writing Skills

Strategies

• Increase awareness of punctuation by occasionally punctuating orally when reading a story
• ask students to read back what they've written to a partner
• compare punctuation marks to road signs: a period is a stop sign, a comma is a yield sign, and no punctuation results in a speeding fine

Strategies

• Provide a variety of patterns moving from simple to complex.
• provide positive feedback on attempts at new sentence structures (build confidence).

Strategies

• Brainstorm lists of "describing" words on specific themes and leave on the wall for reference.
• Teach use of thesaurus (manual and computer-based).
• Post lists of synonyms on wall for reference.

Strategies

• Refer for vision check.
• Check reading ability.
• Provide the student with a copy of the notes such that important words have been whited out - the student then copies these words from the board or from a word list while the other students copy whole sentences.
• Provide the student with a photocopy or audio tape of important information.

Using Word Families to Teach Spelling

Word families are groups of words that use common spelling patterns. For example, bay, hay, day, etc. belong to the ay family. After students become proficient in using simple families, more complex patterns with consonant and vowel blends can be introduced. Spelling instruction that focuses on word families often results in students becoming familiar with commonly occurring spelling patterns that can be generalized when attempting to spell new words.

Young children can be encouraged to draw a house with the family name (e.g. ay) in the roof and asked to list as many words as they can that belong to that family.

See Appendix 5

Strategies

• Teach word families to primary students.
• Provide daily practice in written language (eg. writer's workshop).
• Use key/sight words to build spelling vocabulary.
• Use multi-modal instruction for high frequency words (look at the word, spell it orally, shut eyes and visualize, trace with finger, cover model and try spelling the word, check it with the model).
• Teach words that research shows are most frequently misspelled.
• Assist students to develop a personal spelling dictionary.
• Limit the number of words required for memorization on spelling tests to a manageable number.
• Teach use of spelling dictionary and computerized spell check to intermediate students.