Word Work Works...

Guest Post by: Hilary Lewis

        Working with words is one of the best ways to help students learn to read and increase vocabulary! 

         I use all sorts of activities . . . word sorts, word families, word puzzles . . . You name it . . . to get kids reading and understanding words!

        Word sorts are highly effective in teaching literacy to young students by helping them grasp the meanings and relationships of words.

        One way my students work with words is to use cards with printed words on one side and a picture on the other, and then sort them into groups. Sorting with the pictures gives students a stronger oral language base than looking at the sounds in isolation . . . especially on a worksheet.

        Students deal with words at a visual level, so they can analyze the speech sounds that go with the pictures. They have a better understanding that they don't get when just looking at written words and letter combinations.

        I am the queen of word sorts . . . you will always see them being used in my classroom!

One of Hilary's Activity Packs for Implementing Word Work in the Classroom! 

_______________________________________
Thank you, Hilary, for sharing this great teaching idea with all of us! Teachers.....Be sure to check out Hilary's post on Classroom Freebies Too! It features her Data Binders: 

Rockin' Teacher Materials: Data Binder Add-On Pages!