Word SortsThe purpose of words sorts is to find the similarities in words and to help students move from existing knowledge to new knowledge. Students are asked to sort vocabulary terms into different categories. There are two types of word sorts: open and closed. In a closed word sort, the teacher provides the categories. In an open word sort, students group words into categories and identify the labels for each category. Word classification sorts help students develop a deeper understanding of key concepts. Use it as a prereading strategy to introduce vocabulary and to activate thinking.
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How do I use it?
1. Write content-area or vocabulary terms on the board, and ask students to brainstorm a list of words they associate with that term.
2. For an open sort, have students sort the words into categories and then explain how the words were related to one another. For a closed sort, provide the categories into which the words will be sorted.
2. For an open sort, have students sort the words into categories and then explain how the words were related to one another. For a closed sort, provide the categories into which the words will be sorted.