Grammar · Sentence level
Substitution tables
A table where students build correct sentences by choosing one item from each column. Students practice a new structure many times and get it right each time.
- Bands
- 1 to 3
- Stages
- Lower elementary, Upper elementary and Middle school
- Settings
- Mainstream class, Pull-out support and Small group
- Prep
- Low prep
How to do it
- Choose the structure to practice, such as the passive or an if sentence.
- Build a table with one column for each part of the sentence, and several options in each column.
- Model making two sentences from the table.
- Students make and say several sentences, then write their best ones.
- Take the table away and ask for new sentences without it.
In a lesson
Science (upper elementary)
The table’s columns read: the water, the ice, the chocolate / melts, freezes, evaporates / when it is heated, when it is cooled. Students build “The chocolate melts when it is heated”, then write two sentences about their own experiment.
What commonly goes wrong
- The table allows nonsense sentences.
- Students stay on the table too long, with no move to free writing.
- There are too many columns for new arrivals.
Adapting it
For a lower band
Use three columns and add pictures.
For a higher band
Add a column for a reason or a connective.