Structured Literacy - Teaching writing through a SL lens - Wednesday 23rd October

Asking Questions

It’s as important for students to learn how to generate questions as it is for them to learn how to answer them. When students formulate questions, they’re developing higher-level cognitive functions while at the same time focusing on the main idea of the content that provides the basis of their question.

Tips

Encourage students to ask precise questions for a given answer.

Consider using expository terms in place of questions - discuss, justify or describe

Check if students are only using literal questions vs higher order questions.

Display a list of the question words - who, what, when, where, why, how.

Display a list of expository writing terms - pg 237 TWR

Make sure students understand the question words.

Basic Conjunctions
Because - why (asking for more) (Sub-ord)

But - a change in direction (Co-ord)

So - cause and effect (Co-ord)

Give the stem - children finish the sentence.

Eg. Hairy Maclary is a cheeky dog because...

Tips

Make sure stem works with each conjunction.

Do orally with younger students Watch out for “so”.... Not “so that”.... More like therefore

Include a comma before “but” and before “so”. No comma required before “because”

Blank line should follow directly after the conjunction in each sentence so students don’t think you are starting a new sentence.

Focus on one at a time for juniors.

Link to all areas of the curriculum

When to use a comma!

Depends on the clause - 

I D - I watch TV after I do my homework.

D, I - After I do my homework, I watch TV.