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Language Arts Teachers
are raving about
™
“Thank you for creating this game.”
I
purchased four copies of You’ve Been Sentenced! for
my sixth grade Language Arts classes, and we
(students and teacher) love it. The students enjoy the
game because it gives them a creative outlet and
allows them to have a fun time playing with their
peers. However, I realize You’ve Been Sentenced! is
much more than just a game; I was utterly amazed to
watch groups of sixth graders debate whether or not
what they had created is actually a sentence (Well, if
this is a sentence, what would the predicate be?)
When I watch them play, and listen to their logic as
they defend sentences, I know they are learning
important skills about sentence structure.
What has me most excited is that every
single student can be successful. I knew many
of the advanced students would love the game, but I
was not sure how it would go over with some of the
struggling students. What would happen with the
students who agonize over simple sentences in their
writing? I was overjoyed to see them successfully create
sentences. The pride on the face of one young man
was unmistakable as he told me, “Mr. Flynt, I can
make a sentence.” This was a student who had been
struggling all year long and suffers from very low selfesteem. On the first day we played You’ve Been
Sentenced! he walked out of my classroom with his
head held high. For one of the first times ever in a
Language Arts setting, he felt success. I cannot thank
you enough for enabling me to reach and to teach this
young man.
We’ve played the game multiple times now.
The students love it more each time. As I’m
writing this letter, it is the last day of school before the
Christmas Break. In the past, I’ve always been badgered with questions like - Can we have a party? Can
we bring in a movie? Can we bring in our Ipods? This
year those questions have been replaced. Instead I’ve
been hearing for almost a week now, “Can we play the
‘Sentence Game’?”
I plan on brining this game with me when I travel to
visit my family this Christmas. I am sure they will love
it as much as I do.
Thank you for creating this game.
Sincerely,
L. Flynt
6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Gifford Middle School
Vero Beach, Florida
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A Speech and Language Pathologist
reviews
™
“You’ve Been Sentenced! specifically deals with syntax which can
be especially difficult for children with language delays and most
especially for those children with a bilingual background.”
T
he teaching of grammar is necessary and usually
tedious in the classroom setting. In my experience as a speech and language therapist the use of
games for teaching purposes improves focus, increases
motivation and ultimately stimulates carry-over outside of the learning situation. You’ve Been Sentenced!
specifically deals with syntax which can be especially
difficult for children with language delays and most
especially for those children with a bilingual background.
You’ve Been Sentenced! requires the player
to DEFEND their use of language.
A seemingly absurd sentence can be explained as
correct if the correct rules and the correct arrangement of parts of speech are followed. Players begin to
understand when to use a verb, when to use a noun,
etc. and eventually look for the needed part of speech
even before worrying about the meaning. Rules begin
to “fall into place” rather than be memorized.
You’ve Been Sentenced! also promotes open discussion
about the syntax of language as part of the game. That
interaction itself gives the students more confidence in
a communicative setting. If a student can explain his
reasoning for his sentence he will REMEMBER!!
I think the game can be especially effective
when a student who is skilled at the use of
correct grammar is paired with a student
who is having difficulty. This method provides
teamwork as well as promotes competition. The weaker student will benefit from the repetition of rules and
can become more verbal as their confidence builds.
There are not many games for the older student with
language delays. Students in the upper grades can be
successful playing You’ve Been Sentenced! and not feel
insulted by low level material.
You’ve Been Sentenced! provides rules of play that can
followed or can be modified by the therapist to meet
the learning needs of the particular students. There is
no denying, however , that the game box itself even
stimulates interest and increases motivation.
By Jill Boehler, MS, CCC
Speech/Language Pathologist