Sentence structures - compound sentences with coordinating connectives
Using the FANBOYS - with meanings of linking word and an example - then, students must create their own examples.
Pdf file - as print out included
I recommend Vary your sentences for effect and clarity - 9 patterns of sentence structures presented in an organised fashion - reference material
English, GCSE, grade A
English Language AS/A2 level
This is a whole lesson on syntax in practice.
Students of English usually find it hard to think in syntax term and how that builds thought. This exercise helps them understand this.
Using a thought provoking text - Cogito ergo sum (I think; therefore, I am.) - students (best in small groups) identify sentence structures
1. Identify Subject and Verb which then helps identify clauses
2. Identify linking words that determine the relationships between clauses.
I also included a PDF file with solutions so that students can reflect on lesson.
AS English Language
This exercise uses an extract from a real-life article and dissects its sentences. The exercise asks students to examine the sentences, identify them and comment on how they contribute to or create meaning. Solutions are given afterwards so that students can confront what they have missed.
The exercise shows how sentence structure - syntax - can contribute to meaning. Very often disregarded, worth writing about though.
One Pdf file - 4 pages - task and solutions (to be given out for reflection afterwards)
The Powerpoint presentation - use the text to read extract together; then only use the rest when students have tried to dissect the sentences. make them identify sentences, then consider how syntax effects meaning.
I have included a reference material I have created that shows the nine patterns of possible sentence structures to help identification. (maybe a good thing could be to spend a lesson beforehand to learn these patterns.)
If you have any questions about the resource, please contact me at gykinga@yahoo.co.uk
English Language - AS/A2 level
This revision lesson (or two) was created to make students aware of advanced terminology and how they can easily use them in their analysis
I included the lesson plan - this was a successful observed lesson
Cards are distributed for groups/individuals to match descriptions to terminology - there is one with a question mark as a final challenge, drawing attention to proper name for personal pronouns.
Make them push themselves to discuss possible effect/use of terminology.
Also let them create memory cards for themselves.
I have several other A-level lesson materials, check them out.
If you have any questions, please contact me at gykinga@yahoo.co.uk
This resource is for teaching spelling rules - primary, secondary - but as a revisit could be used in A level as well
The PPT presentation covers all the cases with explanations, lots of examples.
It is animated to show how the endings attach to the base word - click away
At the end, if you want to test their knowledge, there are two tests as well.
This lesson serves to help students, on several levels, to plan a narrative properly. This series of lesson (2) shows them what things to consider before they start to write their piece.
I have also included student notes - so that the students can concentrate on the lesson without having to write much.
Also, there is a planning sheet based on the discussed topics.
The material is better suited to a comfortable 2 lessons then rushing it in one lesson in lower levels.
This resource introduces/reminds students of what proper nouns are and the rule of capitalisation.
It goes through each item with examples and tasks.
Probably a 2-3 lesson length
As much as it is a simple thing, I had to teach this at many levels.
Column writing - opinion writing
This resource is for several lessons, depending on how much time you want to spend on it.
There is a presentation helping to teach column writing techniques
There is a 12-page word document that is best printed as a A3 booklet (page 11 is empty for notes or you are welcome to add something - just remember, page numbers need to be 4 or its multiples)
The booklet is a collection of columns written about this kind of writing by experts - students can read them and discuss in small groups and make notes for themselves.
They should then use the knowledge of these techniques and see how they are used in certain pieces - I have not included those it is best you choose them so they are relevant.
I asked students to choose one of the quotes about good manners and etiquette to use as base for a column. - I like the topic of good manners and etiquette, we had a great discussion on the topic.
There is a PPT with some images that I used in lessons
A whole lesson with PPT - the whole lesson is outlined, nicely decorated, and notes are included in the bottom notes sections
It includes tasks, video links, analyis (just the right amount)
The PPT is prepared to a high standard.
A list of silent letters - that cause a problem so often for the pupils. The list is logically organised, the patterns become visible for understanding.
This resource can be a reference for teachers or students as well.
This resource is a series of lessons worth (I have developed this series through years of teaching) - it explores all the great techniques that create good writing - you may pick and choose or simply go from beginning to end in installments. In my experience, students enjoy the lessons; there are plenty for them to do after explanations and demonstrations. Great examples are used for the students.
Also suggested:
Striking openings
The rule of three
The power of the noun phrase
This is a whole lesson resource on the topic of the rule of three. It introduces it and then puts it in context:
What does it mean if we say one thing about something, what if we use two, then three and even 4 or more.
It shows the technigue on word, sentence and whole text level.
Finally as a bonus, the technique is shown to be used in the arts as well.
This is a fully developed series of lessons for teaching what noun phrases are, how they work, how they can be built, what effect they can create. In other words, how noun phrases can create atmosphere especially for writing to describe.
It depends on you how much you want to go into details. In my experience, a bit of depth is only good as it makes the students really understand the possibilities of noun phrases. Delete what you do not need. I usually teach all of this in KS3 and KS4. The skills of the students have shown remarkable improvement.
This lesson material is to teach students about the importance of their first sentences into any piece. It also teaches, through great examples, how to make striking opening lines. Have fun with it, make the students experiement.
Students enjoy this lesson; they become more thoughtful about their beginning sentences - and create some fantastic first sentences.
This reference 2-pager shows the nine possible sentence structures in an organised fashion: simple, compound and complex -- three patterns each.
The patterns are explained, examples are given. The compound and subordinate conjunctions are given as well organised by logic used.
This is a very useful material for students to consider their options for variety -- for effect and clarity.
It also can be used as revision material.
I plan to add PPT materials that teach the patterns.
This resource is a compilation of slides on the topic - more than a lesson's worth.
Depending on the group's level, one can decide what to use.
Some can be dealt with at GCSE level, but I actually taught these at AS/A2 level.
The resource looks at descriptive techniques going as far as showing sample commentaries of techniques. It is a good 2-lesson material to consider or reconsider description and its uses, including travel writing.
The accompanying reference material of sentence structures is for the last slides that looks at the sentence structures. Also the extracts with comments (maybe for after lesson distribution?) are included. Also the extract for sentence structure identification task are included.
Any questions about the resources, please contact me at gykinga@yahoo.co.uk
This is a lesson designed for AS/A2 classes of English Language and English Literature.
The included lesson plan details the motives/steps of the lesson.
The lesson aims to make students realise that a text needs to be looked at and considered all its angles/aspects - only by considering all aspect one can really see how it works as a whole.
Using three very different resources (I included a lovely English poem); for the other two I used a printed ad and a travel writing piece. By making the student look at only one aspect each - when they report back, it has to be evident that they actually had to consider the other two aspects as well, even if subconsciously :) PURPOSE - TECHNIQUES - EFFECT
Their commentaries will also be whole when they let all three aspects create it.
If you have a question about the resource, please contact me at gykinga@yahoo.co.uk
A simple PEE chart that pushes students to create effective arguments - stress that the point is never a statement about technique, but atmosphere/effect/message.