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Words Their Way Activities Printable Notebooks w Digital Google Slides

Words Their Way Digital Sorts COMPLETE BUNDLE

Words Their Way Digital Sorts Bundle Within Word Syllables Affixes Derivational

Words Their Way Within Word Digital Sorts | Google Classroom

• Google Apps™

Words Their Way ™ - BUNDLE of Digital Self-Checking Word Study Games 3rd Edition

Words Their Way Syllables & Affixes Digital Sorts | Google Slides

Words Their Way ™ BUNDLE of ALL DIGITAL SORTS for 3rd Edition

Words Their Way Digital Activities: Within Word Pattern Bundle

Words Their Way Letter Name Alphabetic Digital Sorts | 2nd Edition

Words Their Way ™ DIGITAL Activities - Bundle of ALL Sorts - 2nd Edition

Words Their Way Derivational Relations Digital Sorts | Google Classroom

Words Their Way ™ - Within Word Pattern Spellers DIGITAL Activities - 2nd Edition

Words Their Way ™ for Within Word Pattern Spellers DIGITAL Activities 3rd Edition

Words Their Way ™ Syllable & Affix Spellers DIGITAL Activities - 2nd Edition

Words Their Way ™ for Derivational Relations DIGITAL Activities - 3rd Edition

Words Their Way ™ for Alphabetic Spellers DIGITAL Activities - 3rd Edition

• Internet Activities

Words Their Way ™ DIGITAL Activities - Syllables and Affixes Spellers for 3rd Ed

Words Their Way ™ Alphabet Spellers DIGITAL Activities- 2nd Edition

Words Their Way Digital Spelling Sorts - Within Word Pattern Bundled Pack!

Words Their Way Digital Sorts Bundle Letter Name, Within Word, Syllables Affixes

Words Their Way ™ - Digital Self-Checking Word Study Games for 'Within Words '

Words Their Way : Emergent-Early Letter Name Digital Sorts

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Words Their Way ™- Digital Self Checking Word Study Games 'Derivational Relations'

Words Their Way ™ - Digital Self-Checking Word Study Games 'Syllables & Affixes'

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Words Their Way Free Resources for Word Study

These FREE word study activities for Words Their Way have made my word study program a huge success in my 4th grade and 5th grade classrooms! The resources are aligned to the 2nd Edition word sort books (published 2009) or the 3rd Edition word sort books (published 2018). Each PDF will open in your web browser for easy downloading or you can have all of the word study activities sent straight to your inbox. Read on to see what word study activities and resources are available to you to try for free!

SEND ME ALL FREE WORD STUDY RESOURCES!

Get ready to makeover your word study routines! Share your email below and I'll send you all of the word study resources listed here in one easy download. You'll also be subscribed to the Tarheelstate Teacher newsletter for upper elementary teachers! 

I'll be sending you an email right away with a link to download your  WORD STUDY RESOURCES.

If you do not see an email from Tarheelstate Teacher, check your spam folder, then email me at [email protected] ! 

The following resources are meant to complement a word study routine and program using the Words Their Way word sort books that come in levels based on developmental spelling stages. As a 4th-5th grade teacher, my students fall within one of the four main developmental stages: Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers , Within Word Pattern Spellers , Syllables and Affixes Spellers , or Derivational Relations Spellers . However, within the paid resources, I have included a teacher reference PDF with the word lists for each level so that any teacher can implement the activities in their classroom.

In this blog post, you can grab resources for Unit 1 for each of these stages!

WORD STUDY WORD SEARCH ACTIVITY FREEBIES

If you are familiar with Words Their Way , then you know that a "blind sort" is an activity where students sort the words from their word lists into categories (and write them down) as they hear the words called out. It's called BLIND because students are not looking at the words.

One year, the idea of "blind searching" using a word search that does not contain the students’ word sort word list came to my mind. By "blind searching" through a word search without having a list of the words contained in the word search, students have a fun way of discovering the word patterns for their upcoming word sort/word study list.

Discovery Word Searches are an engaging, fun way for students to sharpen their ability to recognize words that ARE spelled correctly (which I've found is a major key to spelling improvement). In a discovery word search, when students find words in their word search, they sort the words into categories based on the look of the word and/or the sounds in the word (just like when sorting words with word sort activities!).

FREE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS

1) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers Word Searches

2) Within Word Pattern Spellers Word Searches

3) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Word Searches

4) Derivational Relations Spellers Word Searches

👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Word Searches. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!

If you love the Unit 1 freebies and want more, you can find all my Words Their Way Word Searches here !

WORD STUDY ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK FREEBIES

After incorporating word searches into my word study routine, I found that I was always piecing together extension activities for my Derivational Relations group (the higher group of students who always seems to need something more to do for word study). After meeting the needs of this group haphazardly for my first year’s implementation of Words their Way, I finally sat down and created individual extension activities that made sense for each of the Derivational Relations Spellers word lists . Later, I created similar notebook activities for Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers , Within Word Pattern , and Syllables and Affixes Spellers .

These word study notebook activities are meant to give students more structure as they delve into building a deeper understanding of the words and spelling patterns on their word list. For a number of the sorts, extension activities are also included. While the activity sheets are designed for independent exploration, students often need support in learning how to complete the activity pages. I recommend a gradual-release approach to using these word study notebook activities. Incorporate the pages as extension activities or use to guide your small group lessons.

Here’s an idea of the activities students may be asked to complete:

In the Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers activities , students may be asked to distinguish between beginning consonant sounds, create words by matching a beginning sound to same-vowel and mixed-vowel word family endings (onsets +rimes), identify and represent initial sounds in words beginning with digraphs and blends, separate individual phonemes and blend them together to create CVC words, compare and contrast how preconsonantal nasals change the spelling and pronunciation of a word, sort words with r-controlled vowels from CVC words containing an r before the vowel, match contractions to their expanded form, and more!

In the Within Word Pattern Spellers activities , students may be asked to identify short- and long- vowel sounds, create words given a beginning sound or blend + an ending (onsets + rimes), choose the correct beginning letters, vowels, or rime to complete a word, write "silly sentences" to apply the meanings of homophones, create contractions, make words plural, and more!

In the Syllables and Affixes Spellers activities , students may be asked to describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, derive word meanings from prefixes and base words, identify parts of speech, describe how long vowel sounds are formed, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, add correct endings, choose correct blends, apply the meanings of homophones and homographs, and more!

In the Derivational Relations Spellers activities , students may be asked to derive word and prefix meanings from prefixes and base words, generate words by adding suffixes, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, identify parts of speech, write "silly sentences" with different versions of a base word, research the etymology of Greek and Latin word parts, and more!

FREE WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS (PAPER-BASED)

👉 Click each button below to grab your FREE Word Study Notebooks. The PDFs will open in a new window where you can download and print the files!

5) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers

6) Within Word Pattern Spellers Notebook Activities

7) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Notebook Activities

8) Derivational Relations Spellers Notebook Activities

DIGITAL GOOGLE SLIDES VERSION - ALSO AVAILABLE FOR WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS

I’ve formatted each set of word study notebook for Google Slides. This allowed me to include colorful images and tables. All textboxes and moveable pieces are included for students’ ease of use.

Contained in the download below, you’ll find links to three levels of word study notebook activities. Click those links to make a copy of the Google Drive activities for you to see them for yourself!

👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Digital Word Study Notebooks. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!

If you love the Unit 1 freebies and want more, you can find all my Words Their Way Word Study Notebook Activities here (printable + digital) !

FREE WORD STUDY TEACHER GUIDE

9) When I send you your mega-file of free word study resources, you’ll also receive a word study guide where I share a peek into how I implement my upper-elementary word study routine using the Words Their Way word sort books. You’ll learn how and why I broke away from the Monday-Friday scheduling cycle and the activities in the 7, 8, or 9 day routine that I use instead. I share tips for differentiating your word study program for different groups, creating a schedule, and organizing your word study materials.

You can find much of this information by hopping around my word study blog series , but I've turned it into an e-book to make it printable and easy to refer to as you plan for and implement your own word study program. If you’ve downloaded the Guidebook in the past, you’ll want to download it again, as it received a huge update in the summer of 2022!

FREE SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR A 7, 8, or 9 DAY WORD STUDY CYCLE/ROUTINE

Would you like to customize your own word study schedule using the template above?

I’ve created a schedule that you can customize in Google Slides. Just click here or the button below to grab your own copy of this schedule . The link will prompt you to make a copy for yourself. (Freebie #10 if you’re counting, 😊.)

WRITER’S NOTEBOOK DAY STUDENT TRACKING & PERSONAL WORDS CHART

I include a day that I call “ writer’s notebook day ” into my students’ word study cycle. This means that within a 7-Day cycle, students spend one session going through a page of writing in their writer’s notebook to look for misspelled words. This activity is one of the biggest ways that I help students see the connection between their work during word study and their ACTUAL WRITING and USE OF THEIR SPELLING ABILITIES. While I have sometimes abandoned having students keep up with and record their misspelled words and corrections, this chart is a great way to teach students what to do for writer’s notebook day. It is especially beneficial if you have time to analyze common patterns that students are misspelling or want data on the transfer of "word study" to authentic spelling during writing.

11) The personal words chart contains sections for each letter of the alphabet. Students can record words that they commonly misspell on this chart. These can be incorporated into personal words for them to learn to spell or the chart can simply be used as a reference like a personal word wall.

WORD STUDY SPELLING INVENTORY

In order to truly implement Words Their Way, you will want to assess your students’ spelling abilities at the start of the year. I use the Words Their Way spelling inventory for elementary students to sort my students into 5-6 differentiated spelling groups.

12) This PDF includes the printable Spelling Inventory with a feature scoring guide that helps me understand my students’ developmental spelling levels and sort them into groups. The PDF includes more helpful details about assessing your students!

🌟 If you are looking for a self-scoring spreadsheet for Words Their Way or to assess your students with , I had to mention this resource created by my friend Daniel of Helix Forms . (I very rarely highlight products like this on my blog, but I firmly believe this product is top-notch and will save you TONS of time as you implement differentiated word study/Words Their Way Groups.) The Automatic Scoring Spreadsheet analyzes the spelling inventory, giving you a quick score and the recommended spelling stage for students to begin their word study program.

TRY THE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES, NOTEBOOKS, AND GET ALL OF THESE RESOURCES SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX IN ONE EASY DOWNLOAD BY JOINING THE TARHEELSTATE TEACHER EMAIL COMMUNITY!

Note: This post contains affiliate links to the word study resources that I recommend. This means that I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure  here.

If you would like to cross-check the Words Their Way word study books that you have with the editions that these free resources are aligned to, you can take a look at the Words Their Way 2nd Edition word sort books and the 3rd Edition word sort books .

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY WORD STUDY

Words their way games

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This Reading Mama

Words Their Way: FREE Online Trial!

By thisreadingmama Leave a Comment

Words Their Way is an awesome, developmental phonics program designed to teach the word features students need at their instructional level through the use of word study. I’ve used it in the classroom, as a private reading tutor, and now at home with my two sons.  If you’ve never tried it or if you’ve been curious to see what Words Their Way is all about, they have a FREE ONLINE TRIAL going on right now!  You can register online and for 45 days, you can try out sorts and games for students Pre-K through High School!

Here is the link . On the right side, you’ll see where you can register for the 45-day free trial.

 If you’re not sure what it’s all about, here is my definition and the reasons I like Word Study so much!

 Thank you for joining This Reading Mama on a literacy journey!

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Words Their Way

Words Their Way is a program that offers a developmental curriculum for phonics/spelling instruction, reading fluency and vocabulary development. The hands-on activities engage students as they actively categorize their ‘word sorts’ and the assessment inventory provides a clear indicator of where each student is in the process of word development.

Where to Start?

• Once you have your 2-4 groups, identify the word sorts from the text for each group.  Photocopy for each student.
• Set up an area for a Words Their Way Board and a basket of extra scissors, envelops or plastic baggies to hold the individual sorts, coloured highlighters or pencils.

Routines and Activities

• Student Pick-Up of Sorts: Many options are possible to support student independence.  I’ve used colour-coded post-its for each group. Each student has a coloured post-it with their name on a Words Their Way Board .  This indicates the group that they belong for that week.   [*Instead of post-its to group students, I’ve also used country flags when studying countries, animals or planet names during my science unit, geometric shapes – angles from Math,  gummy bears just for fun.]
• Under the Board are photocopies of the sorts (with corresponding coloured post-its).  Students pick up a copy of their sort.
• When completed, place the words in a baggy or envelope.
• Home Practice: Using the web is a way to communicate with students and parents.  I post each of the sorts on a class website so they can be downloaded and practiced at home. This alleviates having the ‘baggy of sorts’ going home and not returning.  If you use a blog, you can invite the students to comment on their thinking strategies.
• Monday: (45 minutes)  introduce sort. This session takes the most amount of time.  I work with each group in turn to ensure that they know the words to do their sorts.
• Tuesday: (10 minutes) repeat sort/articulate (or see Wed/Thurs).  [*This is a spillover from Monday.]
• Wednesday: (15 minutes) speed sort ( “How fast can you sort your words?” ) or buddy sort or word hunt (use math, science or socials textbook or personal novel or other words on posters around the room – this is an open time for a walk around the room to seek new words to add to list-“must follow the pattern”). I may exchange these activities for “sorting with technologies” – see Thursday.
• Thursday: (15 minutes) sort using technology (Kidspiration/ Inspiration sorts – audio recording of words or create a story/rap using the words in one category. Move this to the next stage by writing.).  Activities can be done in a computer lab or mini-centre rotation in the classroom throughout the week.
• Friday: (30 minutes) test day (*or ‘show what you know day ‘) and sharing day (strategies that they used to help them learn the categories or the strategy they used to remember. [*This session may comprise a traditional test but mostly likely is a ‘sort’ with added new words to their original list. I’m interested in knowing if  students are able to articulate their personal rule of a sort and whether it can be applied/generalized to new vocabulary.]

This schedule is not carved in stone but is flexible in how you approach ‘word study’ as well as the available time in your week.  Teachers are great at finding time in the course of a day to squeeze in sorting and reflective activities.

REASSESS USING THE INVENTORY

This is crucial in identifying what needs to be taught next.  Regroup the students accordingly.

[This example shows the  student has acquired the consonant/digraph features and (in January) has moved to ‘Within Words – Long vowels’ (January).  The April assessment reveals a jump to ‘Syllables-Unaccented Final’. This is a great activity for students to see their progression over time and reflect on their progress.

OTHER RESOURCES

• Pearson Companion site

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School and the City

Ideas and Resources for Your Elementary Classroom

Words Their Way, MY Way: Part 2

I’m baaaack!  

My original blog post about running Words Their Way, called  Words Their Way: MY Way , is my most-visited and most-pinned blog post EVER.  

First of all, I’m totally flattered that anyone wants to read anything I have to say.  

Second of all, I GET IT! Words Their Way is the monster under the bed that makes you decide that, well, you’d rather stay safely in your bed than risk getting out of it.  

I love Words Their Way – don’t get me wrong – but it can be completely overwhelming and consuming if you don’t have an attack plan.  

Thus, I present to you…  

If you were directed here from my first post, thanks for reading! If you haven’t read Part 1  yet, I suggest you start there first.  

Let’s dig in!  

As many of you know, I started at a new school this year.  

My new school does use Words Their Way, but I have had to change up my routine a bit to best fit my new classroom.  

First of all, my school provides these awesome workbooks for each student:  

How lucky are we?   

The workbooks are leveled. Inside are the numbered sorts, which students cut out every Monday. In other words, these books completely eliminate copying or printing different sorts every week and having to keep up with which group is on which sort!   

For each sort, there is also a sorting page and a writing page. Students use the sorting page to practice sorting their words all week. On Fridays, they glue the words down so that they are permanently sorted in their workbooks to refer back to when needed.   

If you don’t have workbooks, you should definitely ask your administration if you can get them! They are such time-savers for teachers and are beneficial for students. 

I’m not a fan of generic spelling, during which students practice writing their words in different colors. In my humble opinion, those methods are boring, mindless, and ineffective.   

I’m not a huge fan of the games that come designed for Words Their Way, because you have to create them all (print, color, cut, glue, make cards, etc.). That is a TON of work to do for a game that will only be used by one group of kids for one week. Yikes!  

So, I decided to create my own line of Words Their Way games that can be used with ANY and ALL word sorts.   

Yep, you read that correctly: ANY sort! I have been using most of these games in my classroom for over a year now and have yet to come across a sort that didn’t work.  

These games are available individually in my TPT store , or at a discounted price in my Word Study Bundle .   

Word Master was my first versatile game for Words Their Way. It incorporates a little bit of all aspects of word study: spelling, vocabulary, and pattern generalization. I allow up to 4 kids to play together, and they love it!  

Spin It! is a line of spinner games including Spin It (Classic) , Write It , and Define It.

Spin It includes a little bit of everything, while the other spinners target specific skills. Students can play with a partner, and some spinners can be used independently.   

Beat Me to the Peak is the new favorite in my classroom. I allow my higher-level groups to play it, because it targets word meaning rather than spelling. I allow up to 4 to play at a time, and I just think it’s so cute!  

My newest addition is Word Study Memory , a twist on the classic memory game. It gets students thinking critically about spelling patterns and generalizations.   

All of the Words Their Way games are available at a discounted price in my growing Word Study Bundle .     

My team runs word study on a one-week schedule, so I do things much differently than I did last year. Every day, we do word study for at 15 minutes first thing in the morning. Later in the morning, students have a “Word Work” station that they visit during Daily 5 rotations. All students get at least 30 minutes of word study in each day.   

Here is what our word study block looks like first thing each day:

Monday: Students cut out new words during morning work. Then they meet with partners in their groups to attempt sorting their words correctly. They are also supposed to make sure they know how to pronounce each word and that they know each word’s meaning. During this time, I meander around the room to assist any students that need help with their initial sorts.   

Tuesday: I put a timer on the board and kids do speed sorts with partners.  

Wednesday: Students do writing sorts in their word work journals for morning work, then meet with a partner to play a word study game that I created.  

Thursday: Students do blind writing sorts with partners to prepare for their quizzes.   

Friday: I give word study quizzes in leveled groups.   

Students get to pick how they practice their words during Word Work time when we do Daily 5. They can practice writing words in their notebooks, or they can practice sorting, or they can pull materials from the bucket, including my Words Their Way games!  

There you have it.   

If you are looking for more ideas about how to ORGANIZE and IMPLEMENT Words Their Way , please go read Words Their Way, MY Way (Part 1) where I explain all of my organization in depth.   

Questions? Ask in a comment below and I’ll get back to you!  

Please follow along on  Instagram ,  Facebook ,  Pinterest , and  TPT  for more ideas to make your teaching life a little happier!

March 27, 2016 at 2:08 am

This is amazing, thank you for sharing! I have 2 questions: Where did you get the WTW books? Do you give a spelling test on Friday to have the students spell all of the words from that week (some lists have 20+ words) and do they write these words on their groups that they sorted them (appears this way in the photo above)?

April 6, 2016 at 1:23 am

The books were ordered for us by our administration. I love them, as they are such a time-saver for me, and would strongly suggest you ask your administration for them! They are available for purchase on the Words Their Way website. I did the math once, and it ends up being about $10 per book.

And about the assessments… that's a great question. This year I have been giving my groups 10 words from their sort to spell. They do not know which 10 words they are going to be assessed on. And yes, I have them sort them as part of the assessment. Each word is worth 2 points: 1 point for being spelled correctly, and 1 for being sorted correctly. So each quiz is out of 20.

Thanks so much for reading!

June 9, 2016 at 12:54 am

I bought the Words Their Way Book…am free to do whatever I want for spelling this year. Although it looks like a lot of work, I think I'm going to try it. So each group has a different test on Fridays? How do they get the words home? Thanks so much…I am buying your bundle on TPT! 🙂

June 9, 2016 at 1:22 am

Hi Melissa, THANK YOU! It is a lot of work to begin with, but I seriously think it is so worth it! Yes, each group has a different test on Fridays. Last year, my kids kept their words in baggies and took them home to sort for homework every night. This year, however, my kids wrote their words in their agendas so they could practice at home if they wanted. We had plenty of time in class to practice and master the words, so I made at-home practice optional. Let me know if you have any more questions! Thank you!

October 11, 2017 at 3:46 pm

The pre-made sorts makes it all a lot easier than when we had to construct each sort. We have the new digital program coming out, and the 3rd edition of the stage-by-stage supplements are out. Donald

August 23, 2016 at 1:57 am

Hi:-) Thanks so much for this post. I was wondering when ordering for first grade. Do you order all level A workbooks or wait until the kids are tested to see what level workbook to order?

April 11, 2017 at 3:44 pm

Hi Kristin, Thanks for the detailed posts about WTW. I have been using the program for a few years and am interested in trying your approach for introducing the sorts. I currently pull each group to the back table for a more guided initial sort on Mondays. Although this is time consuming, I find it sets them up for success for the remainder of the week. Do you find that having them sort together with partners initially builds a strong enough foundation of understanding each week? Thanks! Laura

April 12, 2017 at 11:36 pm

Hi Laura! Great question. When I was taught about implementing WTW, I was told that students should sort the words on their own first. They may sort them in an incorrect way (i.e. number of letters, beginning letters, parts of speech, or something else totally unrelated), but the idea is to get students analyzing the words first and creating their own understandings. What I typically do now is have each group meet in a different part of the room so I can easily speak to the entire group at once. I give them time to sort with partners, and then I talk with each group briefly. I carry a whiteboard around the room with me so I can demonstrate the patterns with each group, but it's a very short amount of time. I find that most of my students are able to come to the conclusions on their own, especially the higher level students, which allows for authentic learning. I think that having two weeks definitely allows time for the patterns to internalize. Students that consistently have trouble are few and far between, but I pull them during my remediation time for extra practice. I know that was a lot of information… Hope that helps!

April 12, 2017 at 11:37 pm

I should mention that I am back to a 2-week rotation, similar to what I described in my first WTW post, simply because I don't have as much time for word study this year!

April 26, 2017 at 8:51 pm

How would they sort in an incorrect way if the headers are right there with the sorts?

April 26, 2017 at 11:47 pm

You would be surprised! Some headers are harder than others. For example, one of my current groups has a sort with sort o, long o, short i, and long i. The i headers are "film" and "mind." Not only do they have to look at the word to see which vowel is used, but they also have to pronounce the word correctly to determine the vowel's sound. Another group of mine has these headers right now: CVCC, CVCe, CVVC, and CV/CVV/open syllable. I had to teach them what open syllable means (when a vowel sound is at the end) and they were confused about why "crew" and "grow" fit in the CVV category.

June 21, 2017 at 1:40 pm

I am looking to implement WTW next year. I believe my administration with also order the student workbooks. Not everyone has the same workbooks correct? You have to wait until you test them to determine which books to order the students?

June 21, 2017 at 11:58 pm

True! Yes, we order the workbooks after giving the preassessment.

June 22, 2017 at 11:27 am

Ok thanks! And one more, sorry! Would that be the work book they use all year, or do you end up having to order new ones as the year progresses?

June 22, 2017 at 2:48 pm

If you start your students at or towards the front of the workbooks, they will last all year. I believe each workbook has about 50 sorts in it!

July 12, 2017 at 6:22 pm

Needing some advice- I am a High School ELL teacher with a class period solely dedicated to oral language and vocabulary. One of the state standards for this course is word sorts and justification of those sorts. One standard I feel is missing is phonics, spelling patterns, etc. So as I have been looking for resources (God forbid they provide me with any) I keep coming across WTW. I know there is a program by WTW for ELs but my question is then- would this be a program that would benefit second language students that are literate in their first language at the HS level? I have learned over the years to tweak programs and activities designed for younger children to meet the needs of HS students that master these skills fairly quickly- so that is not a concern. I just want to know if a 16 year old would find this program demeaning. Thanks for your input!

July 12, 2017 at 9:55 pm

Hi Beverly! I totally understand where you are coming from, and I do not think that using WTW would be demeaning for older students. It is truly about critical/analytical thinking at all levels, especially when you get to the syllables and affixes / derivational relations WTW books.

July 26, 2017 at 9:45 pm

I am considering using WTW this next school year. I love your ideas! I do have a question though… What do you do when one student from the group still has not mastered that sort but the others in his/her group have? I hope I read that right.. each group stays on the same sort?

July 27, 2017 at 2:00 pm

Hi Kortney! Thanks! This has only happened a handful of times, and it's usually due to lack of adequate practice. My students that need more practice spelling know that they should be making responsible choices during morning work or choice board time. In the event that a student does not pass the quiz, I give them the weekend to keep practicing and I give them a quiz again on Monday.

August 1, 2017 at 6:00 pm

I have read so many recommendations, from many different sources, about WTW. Your posts on the topic have inspired me to try it with my 5th graders. But I'm wondering what the minimum teaching materials might be to implement the program. I'll have to pay for the materials out of my own pocket, so purchasing the student workbooks is not an option (54 students). I've looked on the website, but I'm confused about just what I would need. Can you tell me what teacher resources I would need to use WTW?

August 26, 2017 at 1:12 pm

Hi Cindy! So sorry that I am just now seeing this comment for some reason. I have the leveled sort books, but I have honestly never used them. I have always printed the sorts and then made copies. (If you Google "Words Their Way PDF sorts" you will find some.) The sort books and teacher manuals help you teach the skill, but most of the skills you – as the teacher – will be able to figure out easily without a teacher manual. (I literally haven't opened mine since college!) The games that I created have become the only piece that I cannot live without. The books are helpful, but not necessary in my opinion!

August 23, 2017 at 10:34 pm

This is awesome!!!! I do have a question, or maybe just a chance to pick your brain. I found last year with my 4th graders that they would master the spelling of the words when doing the actual WTW sorts, worksheets, and games provided (yes, I was one of those suckers who made multiple copies of each of the games for sorts 20 – 40), but when it came time to apply to their writing they would forget and not apply. I ended up holding them all accountable for the spelling of words that I knew they should know how to spell, but it didn't help much. Have you ever found the same? By looking at your games, I feel as though they will have the kiddos apply their spelling in a better way! Just have to get the go ahead from my curr. coordinator.

August 26, 2017 at 1:17 pm

Hi Tory! I'm not an expert, but I do believe that the activities you implement make a difference. Spelling activities that just involve writing the word or spelling the word involve and encourage rote memorization. I think using WTW's different types of word sorts are important for students to engage in. Additionally, all of the games I created require students to determine which category (or rule) the word fits in, why it fits there, and generalization for other words that follow the same pattern. I also think it's important to have a discussion with each group at the start of the week to talk about why the letters work together to make whatever sound, that way the students know the "why" as they are sorting and spelling all week. I hope that's helpful!! Good luck!

August 28, 2017 at 2:13 am

Kristin- you are a genius! You have no idea how helpful this is. Thank you!!! Jana

December 28, 2017 at 3:44 am

I love all your ideas! I am looking at implementing WTW in my classroom for 2018 but I do have a question. How do you know what volume of WTW to buy for grade 3?

January 5, 2018 at 12:50 am

Hi Isabella! It depends on whether you are using the workbooks or not, but most third grade phonics programs start with "within word" patterns.

June 11, 2019 at 2:41 am

Hi and thanks for all the terrific ideas! I'm curious how you test all your students on one day? I am eager to try your games and my kids love doing the sorts with their cut out words and buddy sorts. I'm trying to find a more manageable way for this program, as I too was meeting with each group on the Monday, and it took far too long to get through the 5 groups.

I've learned a lot about spelling rules through this program too!

I have a link to the sorts being demonstrated on my blog so parents can go to it to see how to practice at home, which they do! Parents enjoy the sorts as well.

My kiddos keep their sorts in a fabric pencil case which is kept inside a ziplock bag along with their sorting / recording journal. Each group has its own colour pencil case in 2 tubs in my room, so it's easy to visually find their bag, as we sort the tubs by warm and cool coulored pencil cases ��

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