Improving Writing – Sentence Structure The National Literacy Strategy Improving Writing – Sentence Structure Lancashire Literacy Team

Improving Writing – Sentence StructureThe National Literacy Strategy

Improving Improving Writing – Writing – Sentence Sentence StructureStructureLancashire Literacy TeamLancashire Literacy Team


AimsAims

• To outline the progression of sentence structure from YR To outline the progression of sentence structure from YR to Y6.to Y6.

• To offer suggestions to increase children’s To offer suggestions to increase children’s understanding of the concept of a sentenceunderstanding of the concept of a sentence

• To offer practical ideas and activities that can be To offer practical ideas and activities that can be delivered during Shared Sentence Level sessionsdelivered during Shared Sentence Level sessions


Progression in Sentence Construction Progression in Sentence Construction and Punctuationand Punctuation

Target Statements for Writing Target Statements for Writing

• Outline end of year expectations for sentence Outline end of year expectations for sentence construction and punctuationconstruction and punctuation

• Available on Literacy Coordinator’s Handbook CD-ROMAvailable on Literacy Coordinator’s Handbook CD-ROM

• Also available on Standards website Also available on Standards website

www.standards.dfes.gov.ukwww.standards.dfes.gov.uk

Handout 1: Extracts from Target Statements for WritingHandout 1: Extracts from Target Statements for Writing


Sentence Level Work and Children with SENSentence Level Work and Children with SEN

• What about children with Special What about children with Special Needs who are working well-Needs who are working well-below age-related expectations?below age-related expectations?

Handout 2: Handout 2:

Supporting Children with SENSupporting Children with SEN


Developing the Concept of a SentenceDeveloping the Concept of a Sentence

Improving Sentences:Improving Sentences:

• Sentence SortingSentence Sorting

• Editing TextEditing Text

• Spot the SentencesSpot the Sentences

• Full StopsFull Stops



QuestionsQuestions

• Using a question handUsing a question hand

• Sorting questionsSorting questions

• Sorting question sentencesSorting question sentences

• Edit a text for questionsEdit a text for questions



Capital LettersCapital Letters• Name LabelsName Labels• Create wall chart Create wall chart

checklistchecklist• Edit a text for capital Edit a text for capital

lettersletters• Investigate most Investigate most

popular capital letterpopular capital letter• Collect capital letters Collect capital letters


Sentence Frames Sentence Frames (Idea taken from FIRST STEPS)(Idea taken from FIRST STEPS)

GiantsGiants areare enormous.enormous.

Witches Witches areare scary.scary.

We We areare clever.clever.

ShariShari is is a girl.a girl.

My dogMy dog isis naughty.naughty.


Sentence FramesSentence Frames

MiceMice tiny.tiny.

Spiders Spiders hairy.hairy.

We We hungry.hungry.

JackJack a boy.a boy.

The alienThe alien strange.strange.


Working with Text – Working with Text – Sentence InvestigationSentence Investigation

• Sentence Sleuth- Sentence Sleuth- working with enlarged working with enlarged text - word class text - word class spottersspotters


Working with Text - Sentence InnovationWorking with Text - Sentence Innovation

• Using a sentence from a text, encourage child Using a sentence from a text, encourage child to innovate own sentenceto innovate own sentence

e.g. Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?e.g. Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?could becomecould become Meow meow white cat have you any Meow meow white cat have you any

milk?milk?Activity:Activity:

Jack and Jill went up the hill.Jack and Jill went up the hill.


Sentence ConstructionSentence Construction

• Drawing a sentenceDrawing a sentence

monstermonster rampagedrampaged

(noun)(noun) (verb)(verb)words describing the nounwords describing the noun words describing the verbwords describing the verb

fierce fierce fieryfiery last nightlast night

Which had been let looseWhich had been let loosefuriouslyfuriously


Sentence Shaping Sentence Shaping (Ideas from Pie Corbett)(Ideas from Pie Corbett)

Sentence construction, expansion, manipulation and Sentence construction, expansion, manipulation and reductionreduction

• Human SentencesHuman Sentences• Chain WritingChain Writing• ConsequencesConsequences• Editing text – expand/reduce a sentence Editing text – expand/reduce a sentence • Make itMake it


Sentence TransformationSentence Transformation

• Change itChange it

• Boring SentencesBoring Sentences

• Sentence DoctorSentence Doctor


Sentence JoiningSentence Joining

• Sentence CompletionSentence Completion

He fell off his bike when…He fell off his bike when…

He fell off his bike after…He fell off his bike after…

He fell off his bike then…He fell off his bike then…

He fell off his bike because…He fell off his bike because…

Gradually increase the complexity of the sentence.Gradually increase the complexity of the sentence.


More Complex SentencesMore Complex Sentences

• Sentence StartersSentence Starters

1.1. ‘‘ed’ openinged’ opening

2.2. ‘‘ing’ openinging’ opening

3.3. SimileSimile

4.4. Preposition Preposition

5.5. Drop in a clauseDrop in a clause

Tim___________ went home.Tim___________ went home.


More Complex SentencesMore Complex Sentences

• The three-part sentenceThe three-part sentence

e.g. Tim ran down the road, jumped over the garden e.g. Tim ran down the road, jumped over the garden sprinkler and fell flat on his face.sprinkler and fell flat on his face.


It’s home-time!It’s home-time!

Documents

Improving Writing – Sentence Structure The National Literacy Strategy Improving Writing – Sentence Structure Lancashire Literacy Team