Writing/Language Arts Strategies (Syntax Surgery)

Writing/ Language Arts Strategies

7. Syntax Surgery

- Syntax surgery is a strategy that allows students to see the relationship of elements within a sentence that may be confusing to understand.

-English syntax often differs from the word order found in students' home languages, English language learners have a hard time comprehending, the sentences they read are confusing and word order has to be changed and explained through writing and speaking. 

• The teacher must begin with identifying a problematic sentence
• The teacher must write the sentence and initiate the "surgery"
• Then the teacher will rearrange the words
• The teacher must allow the students to practice more sentences with the same pattern
• The teacher also needs to be aware that if the lesson interrupts communication,it should be delayed

How it may look in the classroom: