What is Syntactic Knowledge? Why is it important?

Knowledge of how words can be combined to create meaningful sentences. Syntactic Knowledge is important as students begin learning more complex grammar rules.

 

Tips for Parents: How Can I Work on Syntax With my Child at Home?

• Use child directed speech
• Encourage complexity of noun and verb phrases
• Be an active and patient listener
• Establish communication loops (take turns talking and listening)
• Provide lots of opportunity for writing
• Read together
• Work on using their passive voice

 

Books & Activities:

Infants/ Toddlers:

1. Guess How Much I Love You?
2. Doggies
3. Mr. Brown and Moo! Can you?

• Intimate story time either one on one, or small group
• Puppet Plays
• Use songs and or nursery rhymes

Preschoolers:

1. Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
2. The Snowy Day
3. Sick day for Amos McGee

• Use Dramatic play to act out a scene in the story
• Develop art related to the story, allow the child to describe the materials colors shapes and textures the are working with.
• Interactive Sentence Building

Kindergarten:

1. Corduroy
2. Wemberly Worried
3. The Kissing Hand

• Allow your child to create their own sentence that could be used in place of one already in the text.
• App Mindsnacks: Moves children from using words to phrases
• Sentence Building Activities

Primary Age:

1. Laura’s Star
2. Hedgie’s Surprise
3. Verdi

• Have your child identify the noun in the sentence.
• Create a Parts of Speech Flip Book 
• Identify any passive sentences.