Lesson 1,
Topic 1
In Progress
Construction Sentences from substitution tables. sem 2
Welcome to todays lesson.
In this lesson we are going to learn how to use the substitution tables.
What are substitution tables?
A substitution table is when a teacher provides a table giving model sentences with a range of choices for learners to select from, using a set pattern.Â
Substitution tables are laid out in a grid and the learner moves from left to right, making a selection in each column in order to construct a sentence. They can be made up of:
- Single words
- A mixture of words and phrases
- Images
- A mixture of words and images
How substitution tables work
- Substitution tables can be used to support talk and provide a scaffold which enables learners to speak or write in grammatically correct sentences
- They are often used to provide an opportunity for independent work for learners who are New to English
- However, they can also be used by pairs or groups where they can encourage learners to develop and extend speaking and listening skills within the context of a curriculum topic and provide an opportunity for meaningful communication
- Think carefully about what the language function is that the learners should practise, e.g. describing, explaining, recounting, reporting, comparing
- If the language function is comparing, for example, the substitution table columns might be:
- List of singular or plural nouns
- Is / are
- List of comparative adjectives
- Than
- List of singular or plural nouns
Top tip: Choose a language structure that is short, not too complex, commonly used in English and appropriate for the curriculum subject being taught. There are lots of examples on this website.
