Teaching sentence writing is one of the most rewarding yet challenging aspects of primary education. As educators move towards a more structured approach to writing instruction, many find themselves grappling with the complexities of sentence construction, grammar and creative expression. Dr Christine Braid’s new book, How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence, is an essential resource designed to support teachers in mastering these elements and guiding their students to become confident, skilled writers.
Why teaching sentence writing can feel daunting
For many teachers, particularly those who grew up in a whole language environment, explicit instruction in the mechanics of written English was often lacking. This can make teaching writing feel overwhelming. How do you introduce the concept of a sentence to five-year-olds? How can you help students avoid the infamous “and then” syndrome? What strategies can you use to support middle school students whose writing is ungrammatical? And let’s not forget the age-old question: what are the rules for comma use, anyway?
Dr Braid understands these challenges and offers practical, research-based strategies to help teachers overcome them. With her expert guidance, educators can teach writing with confidence, ensuring their students develop both technical mastery and creative flair.
What How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence offers
This book provides a structured, easy-to-follow approach to teaching sentence structure. Key features include:
1. Explicit teaching of sentence structures
Understanding how sentences work is fundamental to writing success. Dr Braid breaks down complex concepts into simple, digestible explanations, making it easy for teachers to convey these ideas to their students. The book covers essential grammatical structures, including:
- the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
- dependent versus relative clauses
- compound and complex sentences.
These elements are crucial for helping students construct clear, cohesive and engaging writing.
2. A step-by-step progression by year level
One of the standout features of this book is its year-group progression guide. This structured approach allows teachers to introduce sentence-building techniques in a logical, developmentally appropriate manner. Whether you’re teaching early primary or older students, How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence ensures you have a roadmap to follow, making lesson planning more efficient and effective.
3. Practical guidance on common student errors
Dr Braid provides solutions for some of the most common writing issues seen in primary classrooms, including:
- run-on sentences and fragments
- overuse of conjunctions (especially “and then”!)
- misuse of punctuation, particularly commas.
By addressing these problems head-on, teachers can help students refine their writing and build confidence in their abilities.
4. Engaging mentor texts and sentence treasures
Beyond technical instruction, How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence celebrates the joy of writing. Dr Braid encourages teachers to use mentor texts to inspire students, helping them “read with a writer’s eye” and collect “sentence treasure” from great literature.
For example, students might emulate descriptive techniques by crafting sentences.
- “The curious stream trickled through velvety stones.”
- “High in the bright blue sky, the foraging hawk flew above the forest floor.”
These creative exercises not only enhance writing skills but also make the learning process enjoyable.
Building on a strong foundation: A companion to How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar
How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence is a natural follow-up to the widely popular How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar, co-authored by Dr Braid and Dr Helen Walls. That foundational book provided teachers with evidence-based strategies for teaching writing, spelling and grammar effectively. It focused on:
- the essential subskills of writing: text generation, transcription and self-regulation
- transcription skills, including spelling and handwriting instruction
- sentence structure and vocabulary development
- fast feedback approaches for improving student writing.
While How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar laid the groundwork for understanding the ‘why’ of teaching writing, How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence offers a deeper dive into the ‘how’ of sentence construction. This new book equips teachers with practical, structured strategies to ensure students master the mechanics of writing while also developing creativity and style.
Professional development and further learning
For teachers looking for even more hands-on support, Essential Resources also offers a professional development course based on How to Teach Writing, Spelling and Grammar. This course helps educators implement the book’s evidence-based strategies in the classroom, providing additional guidance and expert insights.
Pairing this professional development with How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence creates a comprehensive toolkit for teachers, empowering them to build confident, capable young writers.
Why every teacher needs this book
Dr Helen Walls, Managing Director of The Writing Teacher, describes How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence as “a gift to our profession.” She highlights how the book reduces the stress of lesson planning, accelerates student progress and fosters motivation and creativity in young writers. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned educator, this book will transform the way you teach writing.
By implementing Dr Braid’s techniques, teachers can make writing a highlight of every school day, helping students develop both technical skills and a genuine love for language.
Unlock sentence writing success
If you’re looking for a practical, engaging and research-backed resource to enhance your writing instruction, How to Build Writing Success Sentence by Sentence is a must-have. Equip yourself with the tools to teach writing with confidence and empower your students to become strong, creative writers.
Order your copy today and start building writing success, sentence by sentence!
