Sentence Stems Stimulate Thinking, Talking and Writing
Now is a good time to begin modeling ways to increase the classroom participation among your students. These sentence starters prepare them to have more thoughtful conversations and to write more insightful compositions using the language we expect to see in their writing. Remember talk teaches. Plan guided conversations that encourage students to use the special terms that help make their talking and writing more precise.
Enhance THINK, PAIR, SHARE time by encouraging students to incorporate into their conversation the jargon and specific terminology unique to your discipline.
For example, as students discuss stories, novels and drama, use literary terms related to those genres. As students talk about controversial essays, use the language of argumentation; as students discuss history, science or math add that language. The more they hear and use this higher order vocabulary, the more they’ll understand the content and concepts, and fewer students will be thwarted when they see content specific language on those standardized assessments most will face in their career and college lives.
Here are links to handouts to get you started.
Talking and Writing about Reading
Talking and Writing about Writing
Talking and Writing About Math
Talking and Writing about Social Studies/History
Talking and Writing in Math and Science
Talking and Writing like a Professional
After several weeks or a whole semester of modeling and student practicing, how about taking this concept a step farther. Invite students to monitor the talking and writing of their peers. You could adapt from this link a list of signal words students should listen for and look for in their own talking and writing and that of their peers.
Talking and Writing Signal Words
Digging Deeper while Remaining Courteous
