Inside Bell's Brain

  Getting started is often the most difficult part of writing.  That's true for native English speakers and English learners alike.  But as is often true, what is effective instructional practice for ELs makes for effective practice for our native English speakers also.  With that in mind, one solution to the writing dilemma is using sentence frames.  Sentence frames allow writers to concentrate on the most important part of writing (the sharing and communication of ideas) rather than worrying about the syntax (structure) and grammar of the sentence.  For example, if you're writing a compare and contrast paper, an appropriate sentence frame might be, "(This) and (that) are alike because _________________."  This allows ELs and other students to really concentrate on what they're trying to express about the comparison rather than stressing about the structure they need to express this idea.  Sentence frames can be as complex or as simple as your students need.