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Write your own sentence

Arcomm · First edition, 2026-09-08 · References

Try it

  1. Draw your idea.
  2. Say your sentence. Write it.
  3. Read it back. Does it say your idea?

Try together: Say “Sam sat.” Listen for the sounds. Write the letters, leave a space between words, and read it back.

Your turn: Draw something you want to tell a reader. Say your own sentence. Write it using the letters and spellings you know. Ask your adult for help when you need it. Keep your own idea.

Your materials

Open the pupil workbook PDF. Use pages 9, 31, 32, 48.

Sentence page, alphabet reference, word cards, pencil.

Teacher lesson plan

Learning goal

Write a self-composed sentence with readable words, spacing, and emerging conventions.

Before teaching

Can compose a complete idea and encode some taught sounds; motor access is arranged.

Model

Say “Sam sat.” Model holding the idea in mind, saying each word, segmenting its sounds, writing letters, leaving a space, using a capital at the start, and placing a period at the end. Read back while pointing. Explain that the sentence tells a reader an idea.

Guide, then apply

Child chooses a real idea from a drawing or experience, says it, then writes it. Use taught spellings and plausible sound-based attempts for untaught words. Supply a needed conventional spelling during teaching and explain the support. The child reads the sentence back and checks that it says the intended idea.

Interpret the response

Assess meaning, sound representation, spacing, and conventions separately. “I lik mi dog.” can show a complete idea and useful encoding while identifying spellings to teach. An adult-scribed sentence shows composition but not independent handwriting or spelling.

Support

Separate oral composition from motor work, provide a letter bank, or let the child dictate before writing a manageable part. Record exactly what the adult supplied.

Extend when ready

Write a connected sentence that adds information, gives a reason, or recounts what happened next. Select challenge by meaning and current spelling knowledge, not required sentence length.

Fresh check

Offer a different experience or picture. Ask the child to compose and write without a sentence model. Save the exact work, read-back, and assistance. A copied sentence does not meet this check.

Teacher plans PDF: page 9. Record exact support and revisit the idea later.

Keep learning

Next in this path: Help your reader · Choose a learning path

References and source dates

Sources and dates

Back to the classroom syllabus · Browse TK materials