Why Teach Syntax?
The debate on the teaching of grammar instruction has continued for years. We know that open ended sentence writing does not work. We also know that traditional syntax instruction does not work. So, what does the research tell us about how to teach students the necessary sentence writing skills for their success?
Fearn & Farnan (2005), in a well documented study, found that effective sentence writing instruction should focus on word function, or role using practical applications to student writing. Effective grammar instruction must go beyond the labeling of words in a sentence by prioritizing the role sentence parts play in a sentence and how word order impacts sentence meaning. When students understand the roles words and phrases play with one another and how word placement changes meaning, they are essentially working on and improving reading comprehension at the sentence level. In fact, syntax knowledge highly loads for reading comprehension development; therefore, reading instruction must include syntax instruction.
Why SQ Syntax?
SQ Syntax directly teaches parts of speech through the lens of word function and word placement. Explicit teacher scripts provide research-based fidelity of instruction so students learn the key parts of speech, their roles among words, and how word placement changes meaning. SQ Syntax highlights easy-to-use teacher scripts to be sure students understand the why of sentence parts versus rote memorization of definitions. Once students understand why word roles and word placement matter, students expand sentences to convey intended meaning.
How does SQ Syntax work?
Students practice and master their necessary foundational writing skills by (1) identifying sentence components (key parts of speech) through word function and word order (2) expanding example sentences through the addition of key details to convey increased meaning, and, finally, (3) creating their own robust detailed sentences using rich, high-level vocabulary with their individualized My Word Bank. Students then move on to SQ Sentence to apply this knowledge by writing complex sentences with the research-based Sentence Maps.
SQ Syntax Teacher Guide
The guide provides explicit step-by-step skill-building instruction by first teaching sentence components and how they convey meaning. Then sentence expansion is directly taught using word order and placement rules to add meaning. Finally, students build robust sentences following sentence map formulas.
The SQ Syntax Teacher Guide includes 12 lessons. Each lesson includes all the information you need to effectively implement the lesson with explicit guided practice. Just read the script aloud with students to break down a sentence into its component parts. This talk aloud explains the parts-of-speech roles, placement, and why word order matters. We don’t assume students absorb the rules; we explicitly teach it.
SQ Syntax Student Workbook
The Student Workbook contains 12 skill-building practice lessons. Students identify sentence components, label these parts in sentences, add components to expand meaning, and finish by creating robust, detailed sentences of their own. It just takes practice!
My Word Bank
Students build rich, mature vocabulary with their individualized My Word Bank. In one simple booklet, each word bank is divided into multiple sections, including different parts of speech (e.g., nouns, action verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, subordinating conjunctions) and introductory phrases. Based on the given parts of speech section, students choose from the preprinted rich vocabulary words or from their own individualized handwritten banks of words they like to use. When choosing rich and relevant vocabulary for a writing task, students can refer to their individualized My Word Bank for appropriate words to include in their writing. These self-written word banks lessen students’ long-term and working memory loads, providing students with increased cognitive space to generate expanded, detailed sentences that best articulate their ideas. Best of all, students bring their own My Word Bank from subject to subject to guarantee application of rich, mature vocabulary in their writing across the curriculum.