Five reasons you should use structure strips | Feature

1. They save on photocopying

1. They’re cost-effective

Everyone is feeling the pinch in funding, so it’s important to use the copying budget wisely. Though students love to have a nice worksheet to stick into their books, it makes little sense to stick paper on top of paper. Structure strips, on the other hand, use the empty space of the margins of their books to prompt students to write on the page. There are usually five or six structure strips per sheet, so a class of 30 is taken care of with just six sheets of A4. This means that not only do structure strips make the school business manager happy, but they’re also environmentally friendly (and even better when printed on recycled paper).

2. They support literacy

2. They support skills in the chemistry classroom

In a world where answers appear at the touch of a button or by voice command, all students benefit from a focus on literacy. Developing the literacy of our students is the responsibility of all teachers, not just English or humanities teachers. Though structure strips encourage independent writing, you can use them in less obvious ways to support literacy, such as aiding reading for purpose, for example. In a typical lesson, I will lead the students in taking turns to read aloud sections from the textbook or support materials, clarifying any words they find difficult, as oracy helps to build literacy skills. They then work independently on completing the structure strip, before sharing their answers. In this way, one structure strip lesson can support reading, writing, listening and speaking – the four cornerstones of literacy.

3. They prevent blank page inertia

3. They overcome fear of the blank page

For some, a blank page is a new opportunity; for others, it is terrifying. This is one of the reasons a classic worksheet can be comforting for students: it is not as intimidating as a blank page. Structure strips provide a bridge between writing short answers on worksheets and writing at length. By providing structure for students’ work, they help students overcome blank page inertia without constricting their answers too much.

A surprising outcome of using structure strips in my classroom has been the sense of pride students feel after completing one

4. They develop writing stamina

4. They develop writing skills for long-form answers

In an increasingly digital world, many students find writing at length both physically and mentally challenging. Many students lack the concentration, and even physical motor skills, to write lengthy answers. This is often evident in mock exams where handwriting deteriorates in the longer form responses or, even more concerning, they are left completely blank. One way to change this is to provide more opportunities for writing alongside other interventions. Structure strips offer support and challenge while the sections allow a short break during the retrieval of the correct information, but they also require a substantial amount of writing and concentration on task.

5. They foster pride in good work

5. They build confidence and pride in good work

A surprising outcome of using structure strips in my classroom has been the sense of pride students feel after completing one. I have had many students eager to show me their work at the end of the lesson, proud of producing a whole page of good work. This has been particularly noticeable for those who would ordinarily find it difficult to produce a whole page of work.