How to Build Strong Writers One Sentence at a Time: A Smart Literacy Strategy for Secondary Students

Why Sentence-Level Writing is a Smart Literacy Strategy for Secondary Students

Sentences are the basic units of writing. A well-crafted sentence can convey a clear message, evoke emotion, or present an argument succinctly. When students master sentence construction, they gain the confidence to tackle more complex writing tasks. Focusing on sentence-level writing helps students:

• Develop clarity and precision in their writing
• Improve their understanding of grammar and syntax
• Enhance their ability to construct logical arguments
• Build a foundation for effective paragraph and essay writing

Never assume that your secondary students are beyond sentence-level instruction. We should scaffold our writing instruction to ensure that students have the tools to build effective sentences.

How to Build Strong Writers One Sentence at a Time

Strategies from The Writing Revolution

The Writing Revolution by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler provides a comprehensive approach to teaching writing. Here are some key strategies to implement sentence-level writing practice in your classroom:

Try implementing these strategies with short readings or film clips. This provides instructional focus and writing practice.

1. The Sentence Expansion Exercise: This exercise helps students expand their simple sentences into more detailed and informative ones. Start with a basic sentence kernel like “They fought.” Ask students to answer questions such as “Where?” “When?” “Why?” and “How?” to add more information. For example:

If economics students are reading about US trade barriers with Russia, a targeted prompt and response may look like this:

Kernel Prompt: They prohibited this.

Who: The US
What: Export of luxury goods to Russia
When: April 2022
Where: Congress
Why: Protest of Russia’s war with Ukraine
How: Legislation

Expanded Kernel: In April of 2022, the US Congress passed legislation prohibiting the export of luxury goods to Russia in protest of Russia’s war with Ukraine.

2. Appositive Sentence Starter. This involves giving students a noun from the text and asking them to create an appositive sentence. The appositive sentence structure is noun + comma + definition + comma + significance.

If sociology students are reading a short explanation of conflict theory, a targeted prompt and response may look like this:

Noun Prompt: Conflict Theory

Appositive Sentence: Conflict Theory, a sociological macro theory devised by Karl Marx, is a framework for explaining the social structure and social interactions through the lens of power dynamics and the struggle for scarce resources.

3. Subordinating Conjunction Sentence Starter. Students are given a subordinating conjunction fragment. Subordinating conjunctions include “before, after, if, when, even though, since, while, unless, whenever, and although.” They must complete the thought with a claim. Many of these starters encourage students to consider causation. This is also excellent practice for addressing counterclaims in an argument and a gateway to crafting strong thesis statements.

If AP World History students are reading about state-building in the Americas between 1200 and 1450 CE, a targeted prompt and response may look like this:

Subordinating Conjunction Prompt: Although the Aztecs and the Inca both engaged in empire-building

Subordinating Conjunction Sentence: Although the Aztecs and the Inca both engaged in empire-building, the Aztec maintained its empire through a tribute system, which required conquered people to give practical and luxury goods to the government, while the Inca relied on a mit’a system, which required the mandatory public service of conquered people.

4. Because, But, So Sentence Stems. Students complete sentence stems ending with because, but, and so to consider causes, contrasts, and effects.

If US history students are reading about US entry into WWI, a targeted prompt and response may look like this:

Because, But, So Stems:

The US entered WWI because…
The US entered WWI but…
The US entered WWI so…

Because, But, So Completed Stems:

The US entered WWI because of Germany’s policy of unrestricted Submarine Warfare, which led to the infamous sinking of the Lusitania, and the Zimmerman Telegram, in which Germany offered to support Mexico in invading the United States.

The US entered WWI, but the US had spent three years avoiding the conflict, which meant the military needed to fully mobilize, instituting a draft and gathering resources, making WWI a total war.

The US entered WWI so exhausted allied forces received an infusion of fresh US troops and supplies, leading to victory.

For more information, templates on this strategy, and many other ideas, be sure to check out The Writing Revolution by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler.

Implementing Writing Blocks and Sentence Imitation

In addition to the strategies from Writing Revolution, I developed Writing Blocks to help students practice sentence imitation, a powerful technique for improving writing skills. Sentence imitation involves analyzing and mimicking the structure and style of well-written sentences. Here’s how to implement Writing Blocks in your classroom:

1. Select Mentor Sentences: Choose sentences from literature, articles, or exemplary student writing that demonstrate strong writing techniques. For example, a mentor sentence might be: “The wind howled through the trees, bending the branches with its icy grip.” This sentence can teach students about descriptive language and personification.
2. Analyze the Structure: Break down the mentor sentence with your students. Discuss its components, such as the subject, verb, and modifiers. Analyze why the sentence is effective and how the author uses language to create a vivid image or convey a specific tone.
3. Imitate the Sentence: Have students create their own sentences using the mentor sentence as a model. Encourage them to maintain the structure but change the content. For example, students might write: “The rain poured down, soaking the streets with its relentless force.” This exercise helps students internalize different sentence structures and apply them to their own writing.
4. Create Sentence Imitation Blocks: Develop a series of sentence imitation exercises, or “blocks,” that gradually increase in complexity. Start with simple sentences and move on to more complex ones. Each block should include a mentor sentence, an analysis of its structure, and an imitation exercise. This scaffolded approach helps students build their skills incrementally.
5. Peer Review and Feedback: After students complete their imitation sentences, engage them in peer review. Have them share their sentences with a partner or small group and provide constructive feedback. This collaborative process encourages students to learn from each other and refine their writing.

Practical Classroom Implementation

Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing these strategies in your classroom:

1. Introduce the Concept: Begin by explaining the importance of sentence-level writing. Share examples of effective sentences and discuss why they work. Introduce the strategies from The Writing Revolution and Writing Blocks.
2. Daily Sentence Practice: Incorporate sentence-level writing exercises into your daily routine. Start each class with a sentence expansion or completion exercise. Use sentence frames to practice specific grammatical structures. Dedicate a portion of each week to sentence imitation exercises.
3. Writing Workshops: Set aside time for writing workshops where students can focus on sentence-level writing. Provide mentor sentences and guide students through analysis and imitation exercises. Offer individualized feedback and support.
4. Integrate Across Subjects: Encourage students to apply their sentence-level writing skills across different subjects. Have them write descriptive sentences in science, complete sentences in history, and use sentence frames in math explanations. This integration reinforces the importance of clear and effective writing in all areas of study.
5. Celebrate Progress: Recognize and celebrate students’ progress in sentence-level writing. Share exemplary sentences with the class and provide positive feedback. Highlight how these skills contribute to overall writing improvement.

The Takeaway…

By focusing on sentence-level writing, we can lay a strong foundation for our students’ writing skills. The strategies from The Writing Revolution and the sentence imitation exercises from Writing Blocks provide practical tools for helping students craft clear, compelling, and complex sentences. As your students gain confidence in their ability to construct effective sentences, they’ll be better equipped to tackle more advanced writing tasks, paving the way for literacy success in secondary education and beyond.