WORD SORT STRATEGY
DEFINITION:
According to Gillett & Temple, word sorts help students recognize the semantic relationships among key concepts. Students are given a group of words that may be similar or different to one another and are to put them into different groups based on similarities they can find. This will help students break down terms based on the make-up of a word and sort them into groups.
Using this strategy, students are able to physically see which words are similar based on their make-up and which words may seem similar, but are actually different. Having words that are alike in groups is great for breaking down each group to find the similarities between the words. I have used this type of method in teaching World History, but instead of having words the students do not know, they are giving a list of people from different time periods and must place them into the correct period. This is a great way for my students to see which people were walking the Earth at the same time and which may have come either before or after.
According to Gillett & Temple, word sorts help students recognize the semantic relationships among key concepts. Students are given a group of words that may be similar or different to one another and are to put them into different groups based on similarities they can find. This will help students break down terms based on the make-up of a word and sort them into groups.
Using this strategy, students are able to physically see which words are similar based on their make-up and which words may seem similar, but are actually different. Having words that are alike in groups is great for breaking down each group to find the similarities between the words. I have used this type of method in teaching World History, but instead of having words the students do not know, they are giving a list of people from different time periods and must place them into the correct period. This is a great way for my students to see which people were walking the Earth at the same time and which may have come either before or after.
STEPS TO COMPLETING A WORD SORT CHART:
1. The students are given a cluster of words on one sheet and a chart with columns on another. Each one of the columns will have a heading that some of the words will fall into.
2. The students will then take the cluster of words they are given and place them into the correct column, based on what they are supposed to find.
3. After the students have competed that, they will go through each column individually to see if there are similarities between the words.
1. The students are given a cluster of words on one sheet and a chart with columns on another. Each one of the columns will have a heading that some of the words will fall into.
2. The students will then take the cluster of words they are given and place them into the correct column, based on what they are supposed to find.
3. After the students have competed that, they will go through each column individually to see if there are similarities between the words.
Sources:
Baumann, J. & Kame'enui, E. (eds.). (2004). Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice. Guilford Press: New York.
Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2007). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th Edition). Prentice Hall: New Jersey.
Lenski, Susan D., Wham, Mary Ann, & Johns, Jerry L. (1999).Reading and learning strategies for middle and high school students. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Simon, C.A. (n.d.). "Introducing Ideas and Vocabulary with a Concept Sort". In Read Write Think. Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/introducing-ideas-vocabulary-with30953.html.
Vacca, R.D., Vacca J. (1995). Content area reading. (5th. Ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
Baumann, J. & Kame'enui, E. (eds.). (2004). Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice. Guilford Press: New York.
Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2007). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th Edition). Prentice Hall: New Jersey.
Lenski, Susan D., Wham, Mary Ann, & Johns, Jerry L. (1999).Reading and learning strategies for middle and high school students. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Simon, C.A. (n.d.). "Introducing Ideas and Vocabulary with a Concept Sort". In Read Write Think. Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/introducing-ideas-vocabulary-with30953.html.
Vacca, R.D., Vacca J. (1995). Content area reading. (5th. Ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.