If your ESL or ELL students need language support, try sentence starters and sentence frames to help them communicate effectively and gain confidence!
Grab the free sentence frames handout and use them today!
Read on for tips on using sentence starters and sentence frames in your classroom.
What Are Sentence Frames?
Sentence frames are sentences that have fill-in-the-blank sections where students can add in their own words. They are scaffolds that help students formulate questions or answers to questions. Sentence frames can be used for any subject and rhetorical mode. Think of them as “language templates.”
Example: I like ___________ because ________________.
What Are Sentence Starters or Sentence Stems?
Sentence starters (also called sentence stems) are the same as sentence frames, but the first or second part of the sentence is missing. Students simply complete the sentence with their own words.
Example: The main point is _____________.
Benefits of Sentence Starters and Frames for ESL Students
Sentence starters and frames are a method of scaffolding that can help all students, especially students who need language support. Sometimes students are unable to put their thoughts into words, and sentence starters and frames can give them clues about how to clearly phrase their thoughts. This can help them communicate more effectively, and it will make them more confident speakers and writers!
How to Use Them in Your Classroom
You can use sentence starters and frames on a daily basis in the classroom for any speaking or writing task. Give students a copy of a sentence frames and stems handout – I like to print them on colored sheets so that they are easy to find. Students can take them out during classroom tasks and refer to them whenever they need them.
You can explicitly teach them from the handout and show a complete example for each frame/stem. You can focus on one kind of sentence frame/stem depending on what you are doing in class. For example, if you are working on cause/effect, point out and/or teach the cause/effect sentence frames and stems.
Grab this free sentence frames handout and use it in your class. It comes with 45 sentence frames and stems and a teacher’s guide. Your students will love it!
