Are you looking for ways to teach students to finish sentences and express complete thoughts when writing? If so, keep reading.

1. Provide older students with functional writing chances (e.g., job application forms, reinforcer surveys, order forms, checks to write, customer surveys, etc.).

2. Select a peer to read the learner’s written work aloud to help them find unfinished sentences.

3. Get the learner to assist in grading or proofreading other students’ written work to make them more aware of unfinished sentences or thoughts.

4. Get the learner to give oral or written process statements to sequence a learning experience (e.g., how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich). Get them to focus on making each statement a finished thought.

5. Get the learner to find who they think is an excellent writer and why.

6. Provide the learner a list of conjunctions (e.g., therefore, although, because, etc.) and have them make sentences using each word.

7. Get the learner to read/go over schoolwork with the teacher so the learner can become aware of the quality of their work.

8. Get the learner to read/go over written communication so the learner can become aware of the quality of their work.

9. Get the learner to write a daily log, expressing their thoughts in finished sentences.

10. Select a peer to model writing and speaking in finished sentences or thoughts for the learner.

11. Make sure that parents and all educators who work with the learner keep consistent expectations of writing quality.

12. Find the attributes an excellent writer possesses (e.g., writing in finished sentences or thoughts, using appropriate vocabulary, etc.) and have the learner assess themselves on each characteristic. Establish a goal for improvement in only one or two areas at a time.

13. If the learner’s errors reflect the lack of a language-enriching home environment, explain to the learner that language can be fun and that you and they will work together to help them discover this.

14. Provide the learner a sequence of written phrases and have them indicate which ones express a finished thought.

15. Make sure the learner has the appropriate learning materials for writing with legible handwriting (e.g., pen with ink, sharpened pencil, lined paper, etc.).

16. Minimize the emphasis on competition. Competitive learning activities may cause the learner to hurry and fail to write in finished sentences or thoughts.

17. Teach the concept of verb and noun phrases as soon as possible, so the learner has a means of checking to see if a sentence is finished.

18. Get the learner’s hearing reviewed if it has not been recently reviewed.

19. Utilize a pencil grip (e.g., three-sided foam rubber, etc.) to give the learner assistance in appropriate positioning of the pencil or pen.

20. Make groups of cards covering subjects, verbs, adjectives, etc. and get the learner to combine the cards in several ways to construct finished sentences.

21. Consider using one of the apps on one of our best writing apps lists:

The Tech Edvocate’s List of 31 Grammar & Writing Apps, Tools & Resources

Ten Apps to Help Students Develop Writing Skills

10 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for Elementary School Students

11 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for High School Students

10 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for Middle School Students