How can my child improve her spelling with word sorts?

By Michelle Tucker
©2010 Michelle Tucker


     First of all, word sorts are great as one of many activities to boost literacy, not only spelling.  Let's explain word sorts for those who haven't yet heard of them.  Word sorts or word sorting is an activity that children do to improve their use of words.  First, there are lists of words of a word type/family/pattern.  The word list groups words that are similar.  The child has these words on her individual cards in front of her.  The cards with words are mixed up.  There is some word pattern/family heading, either on a strip of paper or game board.  For example, one category of words are words that end in "ure," and the other are words that end in "ur."

The words in front of the child are:
measure          pleasure          fur          ensure          cur
blur                 slur                 spur        treasure       sure

Sort the above words into two columns below:
          -ure                    -ur





The headings (-ure  and -ur) can be printed at the top of a paper, written at the top of a white board, or on separate strips of paper or cards that are place on the table or desk.  She sorts the large group of words into the word families.  Voila!  She recognizes the appropriate category to which each word belongs.  She is building connections in her mind.
     The child is learning about vocabulary, reading and spelling through word sorts.  In addition, spelling patterns can be introduced this way.  The key is to have two or more similar word families.  This forces her to compare and contrast the spelling of words in a way that is easily learned.  The child will learn spelling more quickly and accurately with this method.
     Here is what you as a parent can do:

• Take your child's lists of spelling words.  If this week's words are one word family, use last week's list too.  Use a white board and appropriate marker.  Let's say there are just two word family lists.  Write the two patterns at the top of the white board and draw a line down the middle between them.  The two word family patterns may be,  -ug and -og.     You can say the words (mixed up, don't make it too easy) to her.  She writes the word under the correct heading.  For example, she would write bug under -ug.  Also, she would write dog under -og, and so on.  Doing the sort is helping her learn multiple characteristics and connections with words.
• Again, use your child's list of spelling words, or just practicing sorts appropriate for her age to help her over all literacy.   Type these words and the category/pattern headings.  Cut them out individually.  Place the category/pattern headings at the top (if she is older, she can do it all).  Have her place the words under the right category/pattern headings.
• There are good pre-made games, as well as books that explain how to make sort board games.  These are the ones that I have used and had success with my students: