Revision Activity: Breathing new life into students' sentences

One of my favorite things to do is to play with words. I love to figure out how to turn a phrase in just the right way to make my meaning clear. That’s my goal for all students so that they can master the language and control it. Being able to manipulate language to fulfill your own purposes for communication is, in my opinion, an endeavor worth pursuing.

One of the features of Shurley English that I enjoy dabbling with is the Mover and Shaker Sentence. It is the off ramp from the Sentence Blueprints I have discussed in an earlier post. This kind of skill practice can help a student writer take the next important step toward highly refined revision skills. If you can convince a student writer to explore word and phrase arrangements to maximize their impact on a sentence, you have truly helped to elevate their writing. Here’s an example from our text that will show you a basic Mover and Shaker maneuver that you can have student writers begin practicing immediately.

To get started, guide your students through a Sentence Blueprint to construct a good focus sentence. After that, be sure to have them go through the revision process initially to make sure they have chosen the most effective words to express their thoughts. Then, try a Mover and Shaker strategy like the one in this example. Notice, we have done a little finagling with the verb. (In Shurley English, we teach students early and often about verb forms, so it will be a walk in the park for them to understand a verb form change from the past tense to the progressive tense. We also teach students how to manage affixes with expertise, so in the case of the verb tromped from our example, we drop the –ed past tense ending and replace it with the progressive tense –ing suffix.) Next, we take everything after the verb and, along with the new verb form tromping, we move it to the front of the sentence. Now, all that’s left is to come up with a new past tense verb to replace tromped from the original sentence. In this case, the verb bellowed serves up a great visual. Can’t you just picture it?

When your students have demonstrated their knowledge of basic revision skills and you want them to breathe new life into their sentences, why not try a Mover and Shaker strategy? It’s like word to word resuscitation! Until next time…

How to develop "sentence fluency" in your writing.

Some people are born with a natural ability to put their thoughts into words, but the ability to effectively put those words on paper requires a lot of hard work and practice.  Good writing is a skill that develops over time; therefore, consistent instruction to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to write well is imperative. 

That’s where Shurley English makes a huge impact!  Each year, our curriculum teaches and reinforces the Traits of Effective Writing so that students have a better chance to develop a strong foundation in the writing process.  The curriculum is designed to teach students how to communicate their thoughts effectively and write for all purposes with competence and confidence!

Sentence Fluency

Sentence Fluency is the 5th Trait of Effective Writing.  It is defined as the ability to use various types of sentences and transition words to make writing sound smooth and polished.  The skills required to master Sentence Fluency take time to develop; however, they make a huge difference in the overall effectiveness of a writing piece.

We encourage you to help your students master the art of sentence fluency. If you need assistance, the Shurley English curriculum is here to help!

Discover Discovery Time

In order to meet the challenges of today’s work force, students need to be equipped with a broad base of knowledge and the tools necessary to communicate with competence and confidence.  Our Discovery Time enrichment will stimulate students’ interest in a variety of topics, broaden their knowledge base, and provide opportunities for them to communicate what they’ve learned to others! 

Discovery Time is strategically introduced and promoted in each grade level of Shurley English.  Lessons are designed to spark students’ interest in self-guided research as a way to broaden their knowledge base.  Of course, 40+ years of research proves that when learning new information about a topic, prior knowledge greatly impacts a students’ ability to comprehend, draw inferences, and figure out ambiguity.  A broad base of knowledge also helps students think of new ideas related to the topic. 

How It Works: 

Facts about different topics are presented to students during Discovery Time.  Students have the option to pursue any of the topics for further exploration at the library, at home, or on the Internet (with parents’ permission).  After investigating a Discovery Time topic, students may write and publish an independent report to share with others. 

Level 6 Discovery Time Example: 

1. First, students are provided with some interesting information about the Navajo Code Talkers from World War II.

2. Next, students are given several questions to answer that will require more research.

3. Finally, students are challenged to share what they have learned by publishing a report.

Teaching Silent Final E: The Split Vowel Spelling Rule

I don’t know about you, but when it was time to introduce the concept of long vowels in the middle of one-syllable words ending in “e”, I would spend long hours in prayer…first for my sanity and then for my students’ comprehension! Sure, there are some great ways to get this concept across to kids, but below, I have outlined what I think works best.

Teach this first: Any of the single vowels make a long sound if immediately followed by an “e”. Let me say it again. Any time you place an “e” after the single vowels a, u, i, o, and e, you will hear the first vowel’s long sound, and the “e” goes silent. (For a more in-depth discussion about this first step, check out this post.)

NOW…it’s time to teach the Split Vowel Spelling Rule for Silent Final E. You may find it hard to believe, but this rule eventually just rolls right of the tongue! It’s so simple for little minds to grab onto because it provides the rationale for why the tiny letter “e” can have such power over the vowel it used to be paired with!

Here’s what happens when we split apart the vowel teams with a consonant. (We will use the following examples in our discussion: lie, hoe, cue.)

LIE 

If I use the consonant “k” to split apart the i and e found in the word lie, what happens? I get the new word: like.

This is a direct application of the Split Vowel Spelling Rule! I explain that VC+e and CVC+e words are simply showing a V+e pattern that got split apart by a consonant. (Even young students begin to grasp this concept over a period of spaced repetition. It is a simple and effective explanation!)

HOE

If I use the consonant “p” to split apart the o and e in hoe, what happens? I get the new word: hope.

CUE

If I use the consonant “t” to split apart the u and e in cue, what happens? I get the new word: cute!

Now, this may not seem like earth-shattering news, but this kind of logical teaching can set students on a much more successful path for understanding spelling…and ultimately for improving their reading.

Next time, I will introduce Rule 2: The V-C-G-U Rule. You won’t want to miss it!

(This post is part of a series on Silent Final E. To start at the beginning, click here.)

Trusting the Process of Shurley English

This week, I evacuated from my home in North Carolina due to Hurricane Florence.  I headed out of town alone, following the others trying to seek safe shelter from the life-threatening storm.  Nine hours later, I arrived at my turnoff, and it was completely dark except for my vehicle’s headlights.  Imagine this…

I’m in the middle of a mountain range that is unfamiliar to me, and the GPS (yes there’s service) tells me to turn right, up this steeeeep hill!  For a split second I questioned Maggie, my GPS, as if I thought I might know better or more than her.  In that second of hesitation, my car stalled on the steep incline and a wave of panic came over me.  I took a deep breath, restarted my SUV, and said to myself, “Just go with it!”  I did, and I pushed the gas pedal to get going. 

With fluttering in my stomach, I made my way up the dark and winding road that had been paved before me.  Once I made it to the top of that steep hill, I still had no clue where I was going exactly.  I could only see the next step in front of me, and I knew I had to keep going. 

When I arrived, the destination home where I will be staying until the storm passes was also completely dark and unfamiliar.  So, with my measly headlamp and suit of “No Fear!” armor, I followed the steps given to me to let myself into the home to get it up and running.  I found the key.  Then, I found a light, and from there I just went with it!

The fear of the unknown can be incredibly scary, testing your patience and faith.  But, trusting the road that has been successfully paved for you can sometimes lead you in just the right direction!

Some teachers might feel the same way I did on the steep hill when they begin to teach Shurley English.  I imagine you’ve heard someone say, “Just trust the process.”  It seems this phrase has become a part of our daily verbiage.  I know that I’ve even said it while leading Shurley English trainings.  So, let’s take a closer look at how Merriam-Webster defines the words: trust & process.

Trust

a : assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

b : one in which confidence is placed

Process

a (1) : a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result-the process of growth

So, what does “trusting the process” mean when it comes to Shurley English?

- It means trusting that each feature of Shurley English has a purpose in the big picture of teaching students how to make the Grammar Writing Connection.

- It means trusting that the cute little Jingles actually help to lay the foundation for the Question and Answer Flow by using domain specific language.

- It also means having confidence in the format and sequence of the Q&A Flow, trusting that it will teach sentence analysis and reinforces sentence fluency and proper sentence structure. 

- It means trusting in the value of teaching the reverse approach to the Q&A Flow through Sentence Blueprints, in order to help students learn how to build and revise creative sentences independently.

- It means having faith that your diligence in teaching all the skills introduced in Grammar, Writing, Reading, and Speaking & Listening, while having students apply them daily, will pay off! 

- It means relying on the Writing Evaluation Guide and Traits of Effective Writing to help guide your students through the 6-Step Writing Process so they can become confident and competent writers. 

To completely trust the process in Shurley English:

…you need to let go of the need to know what is unfolding next or why. 

…you need to be able to have the confidence to simply experience how the curriculum spirals language arts concepts, using repetition. 

…you need to have confidence that Shurley English will give your students the skills they need to make the grammar/writing connection! 

Just go with it and be fearless!

Formative Assessments with Shurley English

Formative Assessment plays an important role in education for both students and teachers.  It’s a powerful tool that can enhance learning and education when aligned with outcomes and instructional methods. 

Students clearly benefit from the feedback they receive on formal assessments.  It tells them how they are doing and helps them improve their performance on future assessments.   Research shows that immediate feedback increases student engagement and improves academic achievement.

Assessments also provide a benefit to the teacher.  The information derived from an assessment can help identify what the teacher taught well and what they need to work on. 

So what about Shurley English?  Does the curriculum provide Formative Assessments? YES!  Shurley English provides two ancillary items that contain formative assessments: The Shurley English Student Workbook & the Shurley English Test Book.   

A Shurley English Student Workbook contains three important learning tools: 

1. Classroom Practice pages are used to give students several opportunities to practice new concepts in each chapter.  They can also be used to give daily grades, and the number of points possible for each section is provided in the Teacher’s Key.   (*See suggested grading below.)

2. Chapter Checkups can be used as a review or as a formative assessment.

3. Student Writing Rubrics are used by students as a roadmap for their writing.  When their writing is graded, the Student Rubric will be used to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the paper and to help determine the points for a grade.

A Shurley English Test Book contains three important learning tools: 

1. Pretest information shows what the students know or do not know about grammar, mechanics usage, editing, and writing. (You can learn all about the value of the pretest here!)

2. Chapter Tests can be used as a review or as a formative assessment.

3. Posttest information shows what students have learned during the school year.  A comparison of pretest and posttest scores will show the gains students have made with Shurley English.  These scores can be used to compare first year scores with subsequent years to verify the tong-term success of the curriculum.

These tools are used in conjunction with the Student Textbook to increase students’ learning.  The teacher must follow the Student Objectives and Teacher Instructions closely as Classroom Practice pages are assigned. 

*Suggested Grading:  Most Classroom Practices, Chapter Checkups, and Chapter Tests are divided into three sections:  Grammar, Skills, and Editing, and the number of points possible for each section is provided in the Teacher’s Key.  Most Shurley English Writing activities are completed on a separate sheet of paper and a Writing Rubric is used to assist with scoring the paper.

·  You may total all the sections on the page to give one grade per page, or

·  You might consider giving separate grades for each section.  The advantage to giving separate grades for each section is that you can visually identify a student’s strength or weakness in each section at a glance.  

The Prerequisite for Teaching Silent Final E

If there’s one subject I enjoy teaching almost as much as English grammar, it’s phonemic awareness, phonics, and spelling! I know it’s strange, but my linguistic brain has always identified with letters and the sounds they represent. When I began teaching phonemic awareness and phonics as an aid for spelling, letters began to take on a personality in my brain. It happened quite by accident, but I started noticing that certain letters could be grouped based upon their attributes of both position and function. So, without getting too deep into the linguistics, I would like to introduce you to four important reasons for the Silent Final E. And once kids understand the “why”, it will be easier for them to remember to include the silent e on words that require it. Below is Part 1, which will explain an important feature of vowel pairs. This is a prerequisite to lock down with kids before moving on to the first rule.

You will want to teach the following basic letter pattern concept:

Vowel + Silent Final E : Pattern (V + e)

-When you put a Vowel e just after any one of the other vowels, you make a Vowel Team.

-A Vowel Team is two vowels side by side that make one sound.

-When you put an e after any of the vowels, you will hear the first vowel say its long sound, and the e becomes a silent e.

Here’s a completed list of these vowel teams:

Next time, I will officially introduce Rule 1 for Silent Final E: The Split-Vowel Spelling Rule. You won’t want to miss it!

Activity Time: Understanding Verb Tenses

Did you know that a verb can tell time?  It’s true!  Within every verb is a little piece of information called tense. The tense of the verb tells you when the action of the verb takes place. Mastering the use of correct verb tense is a critical skill that allows a speaker or writer to purposefully convey “time.” 

Do some of your students struggle to understand the difference between simple present, past, and future tense verbs?  If so, Shurley English has an activity that just might help them comprehend verb tense with more clarity!  Follow along, and I’ll show you how it’s done!

1. Give students a paragraph that is written in present tense:

2. Have students identify all the verbs in the paragraph by highlighting or underlining them:

3. Next, ask students to write the verbs in order on a separate sheet of paper and verify that they are written in present-tense:

4. During the next step, ask students to change the present-tense verbs to past-tense.  

Tip:  If you want to change a present-tense paragraph to a past-tense paragraph, you must change each verb to past-tense, one at a time.  Example:

5. Finally, have students rewrite the original paragraph, inserting the past tense verbs in place of the present tense verbs:

This activity purposely focuses students’ attention on the tense of each verb in the passage.  It teaches students to use consistent tense to show actions that occur at the same time.  If they want to change a present-tense paragraph to a past-tense paragraph, students learn that all they have to do is change each verb to past tense, one at a time!