Bring on the Grammar and Conventions!

Why It Matters

Grammar, conventions, and sentence structures have the power to detract meaning and perceived value of writing content. These skills are important to teach students on a daily basis, although it’s tricky to balance the focus on conventions with the celebration of content.

A Back Story

Sentence practice seems like something that could find wind its way into daily routines, and, if I had my own classroom, that’s what I would do. I like to envision writing workshop as a time for students to practice their writing with a focus on craft and content, a mindset of putting skills to use, whereas sentence work reminds me more of skills and drills. I frequently use the analogies between sports and music. Sometimes, learners need to isolate skills, and sometimes they benefit from the opportunity to play in games or matches or work on a composition or a song. 

Examples in Action!

Here are a few ways to build sentence practice into the repertoire of a day. 

1. Lean into the power of because, but, and so. 

I first read about this strategy in The Writing Rope by Joan Sedita, and I recommend this resource! While there are many strategies to use in many classroom levels, this particular idea has stayed with me because of its flexibility. The simple idea is to add because, but, or so to a sentence. The concept could be about any content area, and it lends itself to convergent thinking, divergent thinking, and opportunities for transfer into authentic writing. As examples:

• I am having a rough morning. 
  • I am having a rough morning because I didn’t sleep well. 
  • I am having a rough morning, but I’m working my way through it. 
  • I am having a rough morning, so I’m having an extra cup of coffee.

2. Build sentence combining into daily practice. 

This is a strategy that I’ve read about in many places, and I’ve used many times. I like it because I can manipulate the complexity of the concepts and the grammatical structures, challenging students to try out various conjunctions, as well as prepositional phrases and appositives. There’s an element of play in sentence combining, as well, and I like to encourage students to play with words. 

• The weather has been inconsistent during the past week. 
• There has been heat, rain, and several thunderstorms. 
• The weather has made it hard to plan events.
  • Because the weather has been inconsistent with heat, rain, and thunderstorms, it has been hard to plan events.
  • The weather has been inconsistent with heat, rain, and thunderstorms, so it has been hard to plan events.
  • The weather, inconsistent with heat, rain, and thunderstorms, has made it hard to plan events.

I could write several more sentences from these three, and I could also provide simpler sentences or only two of them. There are so many ways to reduce or add to the challenge!

3. Be on the constant hunt for opportunities for students to change sentence types.

Questions can become statements, statements can become commands, commands can become questions, and so on and so forth. Awareness of sentence structure and usage of conventions will increase within this practice, and it takes very few instructional minutes. As examples:

• I can make a sentence.
• Can I make a sentence?
• Make a sentence!

One Thing to Remember

Play and purpose are critical when it comes to learning, and these strategies should all feel a little playful. If they become tedious, then rethink the frequency or the difficulty levels. Additionally, you should see transfer into authentic writing, but you may need to remind students of the skills they’ve worked on and the importance of transfer of learning.

Go Deeper

• Grammar and Conventions: Meet Writers Where They Are
• Warming up with Grammar Games
• Five Grammar Lessons With Sneaky Double-Duty Goals