What method helps students start discussions or writing tasks?

The use of sentence starters is highly effective in encouraging students to engage in discussions or begin writing tasks. Sentence starters provide a structured beginning to thoughts that can guide students as they form their responses. By presenting prompts such as "I believe that..." or "In my opinion..." sentence starters help lower the affective filter for students who may feel hesitant or insecure about participating in discussions or writing. This technique not only aids in fluency and confidence but also fosters a more dynamic exchange of ideas, as it helps all students, including English language learners, to articulate their thoughts more clearly and cohesively.

While other methods like sentence expanding, picture labeling, and word banking have their own benefits, they do not serve the primary function of directly initiating a conversation or writing prompt like sentence starters do. Sentence expanding focuses more on elaboration, while picture labeling can assist with vocabulary, and word banking aids in generating ideas. However, for the specific task of launching discussions or writing, sentence starters are most effective.