Sentence Stems

The steps

1. Choose stems to match the thinking. Before the lesson, choose two or three openings that fit the kind of sentence you want students to produce. A claim might begin, "The evidence suggests that…". To build on a classmate's idea, students might use "I agree with Sana, and I would add…".
2. Put them where the talk happens. Write the stems on the board or print them on desk mats. Keep them in the same place every lesson so students always know where to look.
3. Model one aloud. Complete a stem yourself before asking the class to use it.
   Listen as I use the first one: 'The evidence suggests that the harvest failed two years running.' Now it's your turn.
4. Ask your question and expect the stem. Ask students to answer in full sentences that begin with a stem. If someone gives a single word, point to the board and ask again.
   Good. Now start with 'The evidence suggests that…' and say the whole sentence.
5. Carry the same stems into writing. When students write about the question, leave the stems visible and expect students to use them on the page. A sentence students have already said aloud can be easier to write down.
6. Fade them on purpose. When most of the class can use a stem without looking up, shorten it or remove it. "The evidence suggests that…" becomes "The evidence…", then nothing. Decide how you will fade each stem when you first display it.

How you’ll know it’s working

• Spoken answers become longer. Keep a tally during one discussion: most answers are now full sentences rather than single words.
• The stems appear in students' written work during the same lesson without a reminder.
• Students look at the board less often each week, and some adapt a stem rather than reciting it.
• A stem you removed last week continues to appear in classroom talk and in students' books.

Weigh it up

Why it’s worth it

• More students attempt an answer. A visible starting point makes speaking feel less risky and encourages students who usually hold back to put their hands up.
• Talk supports writing. Rehearsing a sentence aloud with a stem can make it easier to write down, helping students produce longer, more formal answers.
• Students rehearse the register of the subject (the way its experts phrase things). Regularly using phrases such as "the source suggests" and "the results show" develops their academic vocabulary and their control of sentence structure.
• Starting is often the hardest part of answering. Once the opening is provided, students can devote more attention to the content, which is particularly helpful for those learning the language of instruction.
• Sentence stems can support other techniques. They provide a starting point for Say It Again, Better, help Turn & Talk pairs move beyond one-word exchanges, and make Cold Call less daunting.

The costs

• Borrowed openings can make answers sound alike. A class that keeps using stems for too long may begin to speak and write formulaically, so you need to plan the fade and follow through with it.
• Good stems are specific to the subject and the question, so someone needs to write or adapt them for each topic. Students may stop noticing generic laminated mats within weeks.
• A confident opening can make a thin or incorrect idea sound convincing. You still need to listen carefully to what follows the stem.