Manipulatives: Sentence Combining

Overview

Full sentence manipulatives allow students to practice producing more complex Syntax and writing. As students move parts of sentences or whole sentences, they can focus their Attention on creating compound or complex sentences to help build Foundational Writing Skills. Developing writing skills also supports improved Orthographic Processing.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch as two students work together to combine simple sentences using manipulatives. Using manipulatives can support and serve as a bridge between learners of all different needs.

Teachers can have students create manipulatives from their own writing by having them cut a text apart. Providing additional independent and dependent clauses along with sentence connectors, like prepositions or conjunctions, then allows students to physically create compound and complex sentences, which also supports Speed of Processing and Long-term Memory.

Design It into Your Product

Developers can incorporate flexible, movable sentences and clauses into programs for writing. Giving students a bank of clauses and sentences reduces Working Memory load, and color-coding parts of speech can also help improve Syntax knowledge.

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Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Create Your Own

Tips for creating and organizing manipulatives

Examples

Creating a Paragraph

Lesson for arranging sentences into a paragraph

Examples

Sentence Structure

Lessons and manipulatives for combining simple sentences

Factors Supported by this Strategy

Literacy

Foundational Writing Skills

Genre Knowledge

Syntax

Verbal Reasoning

Cognition

Attention

Inhibition & Self-regulation

Student Background

More Multisensory Supports Strategies

Audiobooks

Audiobooks allow students to hear fluent reading and to experience books above their reading skills.

Dictation/Speech-to-text

Dictation can allow students with transcription difficulties to still participate in the writing process and generate ideas.

Dictionary & Thesaurus

Dictionaries and thesauruses can serve as resources for students to expand their Vocabulary knowledge.

Gestures

Adding gestures and motions to complement learning activates more cognitive processes for recall and understanding.

Manipulatives: Sentence Construction

Providing physical representations of parts of a sentence activates learners' mental processes.

Mindfulness Breaks

Short breaks that include mindfulness quiet the brain to allow for improved thinking and emotional regulation.

Movement Breaks

Brain breaks that include movement allow learners to refresh their thinking and focus on learning new information.

Music & Dance

Connecting information to music and dance moves enhances Short-term and Long-term Memory by drawing on auditory processes and the cognitive benefits of physical activity.

Physical Activity & Recess

Research shows physical activity improves focus and creativity.

Sensory Stimulation

Incorporating multiple senses with strategies like chewing gum, using a vibrating pen, and sitting on a ball chair supports focus and Attention.

Sound-blocking Devices

Using earplugs or headphones can increase focus and comfort.

Text-to-speech Software

Transforming written text into audio supports learning by activating different parts of a learner's brain for comprehension.

Tossing Activity

Tossing a ball, beanbag, or other small object activates physical focus in support of mental focus.

Visual Reading Aids

Visual supports, like text magnification, colored overlays, and guided reading strips, help students focus and properly track as they read.

Web-based Dictionary & Thesaurus

Web-based dictionaries and thesauruses can serve as visual and audio resources for students to expand their Vocabulary knowledge.

Word Processing

Research has shown that students write longer pieces with stronger quality when they use word processing software.

Word Sorts

Word sorts are multisensory activities that help learners identify patterns and group words based on different categories.

Literacy 4-6

Manipulatives: Sentence Combining

Overview

Use It in the Classroom

Design It into Your Product

Resources

Factors Supported by this Strategy

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