Episode Details

Should kindergarteners use sentence starters when they’re learning to write? Sentence starters can be a helpful scaffold for beginning writers, especially when they’re paired with a picture, but we don’t want students to become so dependent on them that they don’t know what to write when the sentence starter disappears.

In this episode, we’re talking about how sentence starters fit into kindergarten writing instruction, why they can make writing more manageable for beginning writers, and the difference between completing a sentence starter and actually learning how to write a sentence independently. You’ll also learn why sentence starters should be a starting place, not the end goal, and what to consider as you begin removing writing supports.

If your kindergarten students can fill in the blank on “I see a ___” but freeze when you ask them to write a sentence on their own, this episode will help you understand what’s happening and how to start moving them toward more independent sentence writing.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

✏️ How to Teach Them to Write Sentences Workshop

📝 Show notes: https://kindergartentoolbox.com/should-you-use-sentence-starters-in-kindergarten-writing-episode-38/

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