Teaching Phrasing, Expression, and Attention to Punctuation

Use this strategy to demonstrate the importance of punctuation. It can be used before reading to demonstrate the need for fluency and punctuation or during reading to help with comprehension and fluency.

Instructions:

1. Write a sentence on the board without punctuation.
2. Read the sentence aloud without pausing, all in one breath.
3. Ask students to react to what they heard. Most students should say that the sentence was hard to understand. Discuss what the reader should do to make the sentence sound right.
4. Add punctuation to the sentence. Decide if the sentence dictates any other breaks or pauses and add slash marks in between the appropriate words as necessary.
5. Reread the sentence, pausing at the commas and slash marks.
6. Ask students to react to what they heard. Discuss the importance of punctuation as a signal to pause while reading.

Look Fors for Successful Implementation: Students pause at the punctuation while reading. Teachers model attention to punctuation as they read aloud.

References: Strickland, D. (2001). Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers in Grades 3-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Teaching Phrases, Expression, and Attention to Punctuation

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