WIDA recently came out with new standards for language acquisition. These new standards are chock-full of expectations for teachers of multilingual learners. Perhaps the most challenging to implement in a general education setting is working with students at the word, sentence, and phrase level.
To achieve this lofty goal, I recommend using a high-leverage GLAD strategy called the Sentence Patterning Chart.
It is important to note that this language acquisition strategy is appropriate to use with all students but is especially impactful for Multilingual Learners who are striving to grow their writing skills. This strategy works on developing sentence structure and explicitly teaching how a noun and verb work together in a sentence and also shows elaboration techniques like adding adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases to create stronger sentences. As previously stated, this strategy aligns with the WIDA 2020 standards as well as ELA Common Core State Standards.
Another reason I love using this strategy in classrooms is that it is highly engaging and has a low affective filter, which allows students at any language proficiency level to participate.
The benefits of the Sentence Patterning Chart are innumerable. In this strategy, students are developing their orally produced language while simultaneously learning the Parts of Speech. Imagine if every elementary teacher used this chart at least twice a year, our students would leave elementary school with intimate knowledge of sentence structure without using non-engaging sentence diagramming worksheets! Included in this strategy are phonics and phonemic awareness and multiple opportunities for practicing reading, writing, expanding, and enriching sentences.
This strategy is particularly successful at teaching sentence structure and parts of speech because of the repetitive pattern and sing-song/chant nature. Additionally, the use of color and shape coding allows for this new information to imprint in students' brains for retrieval and use in their writing. Ready to get started?
Step 1 - Build Your Chart
I am a huge fan of using butcher paper to create these charts however, you can use smaller paper if space is a concern in your classroom. Begin by writing the headings at the top of the page (color and shape coded below) and separate them by columns.
Headings for K-1: adjective (cloud), noun (oval), verb (rhombus), prepositional phrase (two arched lines)
Headings for K-2: adjective (cloud), noun (oval), verb (rhombus), adverb (triangle), prepositional phrase (two arched lines)
Step 2 - Fill in the Chart
While the chart's first column is for adjectives, you'll want to begin filling in the chart with the noun. The teacher will select a noun (typically a person e.g. "biologists") related to the topic of study. Then, the teacher will guide students to provide adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and prepositional phrases. I like to do one example in each column with my students before having them generate their own words (usually in a pair-share). Students may need tips to complete the chart. I recommend using the following:
adjective: "Biologists are so...."
verb: "Biologists can..."
adverb: "Biologists can ____... how?"
prepositional phrase: "Where can biologists go?" I also like to give them some examples of prepositions with my marker by putting it behind my back, under the table, through a roll of tape, in my pocket, etc.
Filling in this chart should take no longer than 7-10 minutes. Your students will likely start getting wiggly, and that's the perfect time for the next step!
Step 3 - Learn the Tune
Once your chart is filled in, you will use the tune of Farmer in the Dell to put the sentences together. Using a familiar tune allows for learning in multiple modalities. Also, using songs helps imprint this information in students' long-term memories. You'll want to start by learning the tune of the song with the chart headings. It sounds something like this:
K-1: adjective, adjective, noun. adjective, adjective, noun. adjective, adjective, adjective, noun, verb, prepositional phrase.
2-5: adjective, adjective, noun. adjective, adjective, noun. adjective, adjective, noun, verb, adverb, prepositional phrase.
I usually demonstrate this to my students first and then have them try it with me a few times.
Step 4 - Add in Parts of Speech
Once students are familiar with the tune and pattern of the song, the teacher will select students following expected behavior, to come up and place a sticky note on a word or phrase for each part of speech to create a full sentence. I like to choose a different student for each part of the speech to maximize participation and keep engagement up. Once the words are selected, students will chant the sentence using the tune of Farmer in the Dell. As you continue to practice the sentences, you can add gestures for each word. This is another way of adding modalities to learning and creating long-term connections for students.
Sentence Patterning Chart Extensions
Student Collaboration: As a team, students decide which adjective/verb/adverb/prepositional phrase they want to use and write a sentence of their own on a white sentence strip. Students color/shape code their sentences. Every student on the team is required to write. If students finish this early, they may come up with gestures to match each word in their sentence. Teams present their sentences or sentences with gestures to the rest of their classmates. All students must read together and no student may read upside down.
The Read Game: The teacher takes each group’s sentence strip, cuts it up by part of speech, and then mixes them up. The teacher then gives each team one adjective, one noun, one verb, one adverb (2-5), and one prepositional phrase. In their same teams, students build new sentence with proper syntax. The teams then read their new sentence aloud to the class.
The Trade Game: the teacher gives a team a sentence that is missing a part of speech and has double another part of speech. Then students need to determine what they have that is needed, what is extra, and what is missing. Students circulate the classroom as a team to trade with another team until they have built a complete sentence. I like to give them the following sentence frames to encourage maximum use of the language. Do you have an extra (part of speech)? Yes, we have an extra (part of speech).
Resources
You can use this strategy in small groups or as independent work, too! Click the links below for access to a Sentence Patterning Chart template for planning purposes (see my blog post about Here, There poems), or to use with small groups or individuals.
Sentence Patterning Chart Template - free download!
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