7. What the Research Says About Grammatical Building Blocks

• Teaching the job or function a word has in a sentence supports reading comprehension and writing (Hennessy, 2021).
• "As students understand the role of each word or phrase in creating a sentence that conveys a complete thought or idea, they are better equipped to create their own sentences, as well as unpack the meaning of those they encounter in text" (Gillis & Eberhardt, 2018).
• "Knowledge of how words are used within different grammatical or syntactic contexts is essential for the child's fluency and comprehension, along with the need to become familiar with a variety of increasingly sophisticated sentence constructions and literary conventions" (Wolf et al., 2009).
• "Initially, identifying the parts of a sentence should focus on the functions of sentence parts (i.e., the word's role or job). Once students understand these functions, accurate labeling of the grammatical components becomes easier" (Eberhardt, 2013).
• In the English language, there are several categories of words that connect — that is, link — other words, phrases, and clauses together in a sentence to make meaning. These words include conjunctions and prepositions. Dutro and Moran (2003) refer to these words as "mortar" words, because they act like lexical glue in sentences to connect ideas, show relationships, and make references. As a group, these words create cohesive ties that aid comprehension by signaling how information is related within text (Oakhill, Cain, and Elbro, 2014). 

Dutro, S., & Moran, C. (2003). Rethinking English language instruction: An architectural approach. English Learners: Reaching the Highest Level of English Literacy, 227–258. https://www.academia.edu/10025070/Rethinking_English_Language_Instruction_An_Architectural_Approach (opens in new window)

Eberhardt, N. C. (2013). Syntax: Somewhere between words and text. Perspectives on Language and Literacy, 39(3), 44–49.

Gillis, M. B., & Eberhardt, N. C. (2018). Syntax: Knowledge to practice. Literacy How.

Hennessy, N. L. (2021). The reading comprehension blueprint: Helping students make meaning from text. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Oakhill, J., Cain, K., & Elbro, C. (2015). Understanding and teaching reading comprehension: A handbook. Routledge.

Wolf, M., Barzillai, M., Gottwald, S., Miller, L., Spencer, K., Norton, E., Lovett, M., & Morris, R. (2009). The Rave‐O intervention: Connecting neuroscience to the classroom. Mind, Brain, and Education, 3(2), 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-228x.2009.01058.x (opens in new window)