At last! It’s here! Teachers and students alike can now create OPEN and CLOSED word sorts from their own word lists. Word lists can be saved for future reuse, or shared with your students. Teachers: share your word list code with your students and the word list will appear on their screens!

Word sorts are a highly engaging and flexible activity in which students focus on similarities and differences between words. In effect, students become ‘word detectives’. In the My Word Sort app, students either input their word list or enter the share code from their teacher. This could be their weekly spelling list, a list from a reading activity, a list of capitals, or whatever meets the required learning outcome. If they are entering their own words, they have the option to record each word. The addition of audio is of enormous benefit in word sorts because it allows students not only to hear sound patterns, but adds another dimension to the word sorting categories (sort by sound). To commence the sort, there is a range of options:

OPEN WORD SORTS
Groups or individual students can choose the common features, decide categories for organising the words (category headings will display) and complete the word sort

OR

One student can chose the common features, decide categories for organising the words (category headings will not display) and complete the word sort. His/her partner then works out the sort criteria.

CLOSED WORD SORTS
The teacher tells students the sort categories and students complete the word sort.

The app contains a range of ideas for how to effectively use My Word Sort.

A feature to email your word sort to chosen recipient/s is also included.