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Word sorts are a great tool for students to use when practicing a new phonetic skill. Using one set of cards (Yes! ONE SET!!), several center activities can be created in varying levels of difficulty. I LOVE getting many uses out of one material!!
Set-up Suggestions
For smooth transitions during work time, have the materials cut and prepared at the station location. Print out station directions to have available at the center.
**I often ask for parent volunteers to cut out cards at home and send them back to school with their child. Parents LOVE to help, and many cannot come into the classroom during the school day. This is a great way to get everyone involved who is interested! Remember to do this a few weeks before you need the cards - parents are PRETTY busy... you know... parenting.**
Presentation
Provide students with a designated work space, like a rug, a mat, or a desk. This will help students respect each other's work space.
Beginning Level
This is best for students who are new to a skill and students who are struggling.
Provide students with the answer key for checking work.
Give students the header cards that determine the sort categories for them.
Students will then sort the words into those categories, checking their answers with the answer sheet provided.
Practice Level
This is best for students with some level of understanding on the skill, but not yet total mastery.
During this stage, students are still given the header cards that determine the sort categories for them, but no answer key for checking.
Students will then sort the words into those categories.
Students will write the words on the word sort page with the categories listed.
Mastery Level
This is best for students with a solid understanding of the skill.
At this station, students are only provided with word cards. Students will determine the categories on their own and will then sort the words.
Provide students with a blank word sort sheet with no categories listed.
Important Notes
After the word sort has been presented to the students, make it available for the student to choose during appropriate times (not, you know, in the middle of the math lesson they are trying to avoid) to continually practice.
When presenting the work, it is best to lay the cards out from left to right. This reinforces basic reading concepts.
During the presentation, use as few words and movements as possible, allowing the student to simply view the work.
Make the expectation known that students are to complete as many words as they can, not necessarily ALL of the cards. This will take away the pressure of rushing through work for students who struggle and need more time.
Rationale
Multi-Sensory
Using a multi-sensory approach to learning is beneficial for student mastery. When students manipulate their materials, they engage different parts of their brain. The scaffolded options allow for students to progress through and engage with different parts of the material at their own pace.
Active Participants
Students who activity engage in the process of analyzing the words are more likely to correctly read and spell the words later than if they were to simply practice copying the words.
Easy Differentiation
Your classrooms are filled with many students at many instructional levels, all expected to learn the same materials. This is no easy task. Using word sorts allows students to work on the same skills while moving at their own pace.
Final Thoughts
I hope these ideas help you in your classroom as they've helped me!
Here are some word sorts that are available for purchase.
Vowels
•Short Vowels
•Long Vowel: Silent e
•R-controlled Vowels
Consonants
•Consonant Digraphs
•ch vs tch
Endings
•Plural Spellings
•Inflected Endings
Multi-Syllable Words
•VC/CCV and VCC/CV Syllable Splits
•VC/CV Syllable Splits
Affixes
•Prefixes pre- and re-
•Suffixes -able vs -ible
And of course, this great Word Sort FREEBIE!
I'd LOVE to know how you use word sorts in your classroom!!