Juicy Sentence Guidance

Far too often, students who struggle with reading and language are given simplified, uninteresting texts. These texts are judged to be “at-the-students’ language or reading level” but deny students access to rich, interesting, age-appropriate text. This guidance document outlines some ideas for fostering conversations around “juicy sentences,” where students learn to deconstruct and reconstruct sentences, understanding how different language features contribute to meaning. Additionally, regular guided practice with unpacking sentences will give students the tools they need to make meaning from future sentences that use the same syntactical features, grammatical structures, and vocabulary—opening access to even the most challenging texts.