Grammar · Sentence level
Graded sentence frames and starters
Offer sentence frames at different levels of complexity for the same task, so every student can express the same idea at the edge of what they can do.
- Bands
- 1 to 4
- Stages
- Lower elementary, Upper elementary, Middle school and High school
- Settings
- Mainstream class, Push-in support, Pull-out support and Small group
- Prep
- Low prep
How to do it
- Identify the thinking the task asks for, such as comparing, explaining or arguing.
- Write three frames for it, each more complex than the last.
- Let students choose, and nudge them up a level when they are ready.
- Model each frame aloud before students write.
- Keep track of which frames students choose, and move them on over time.
In a lesson
Science (middle school)
To compare two materials, the board shows three frames: “Metal is ___ than plastic.”, “Metal is a better conductor than plastic because ___.” and “Although both materials ___, metal conducts heat more effectively because ___.” A band 2 student uses the first frame, and a band 4 student uses the third.
What commonly goes wrong
- Everyone gets the easiest frame.
- The frames fix the content as well as the structure.
- The frames are never taken away.
Adapting it
For a lower band
Pair the simplest frame with a word bank.
For a higher band
Ask students to write a frame for others to use.