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If you're not familiar with Words Their Way , it is a developmental spelling program which has students work with level-appropriate word sorts in order to improve their understanding of the written language. Word sorts are simply a set of words which fall into certain spelling, sound, or semantic categories.

I discovered and became interested in the Words Their Way program (WTW: my own abbreviation) near the end of the 2010 school year, at which point there was not sufficient time to begin it. So, over that summer, I did some reading and research, ultimately deciding to implement it the following September.

I will admit that learning a new system was a bit daunting at first, but two things have made the challenge easier and extremely worthwhile. First, the WTW texts are incredibly helpful and offer a great variety of materials (CD-ROM and DVD too). There is a core text for the program, pictured to the left and below, another core text for WTW with English Language Learners , an edition focused on struggling readers and a number of additional workbooks with materials for each developmental stage. Second, and perhaps most impo rtantly, after using WTW for only about 2 months, my students' motivation, interest level and ability in studying words increased noticeably.

I believe one of the keys to the WTW program is the fact that students are given the task of making sense of words on their own terms. Like scientists or detectives, they are looking for patterns in spelling and sound in order to categorize words. WTW does not teach spelling "rules" which will all know have so many exceptions in English. It instead offers opportunities for hands-on, developmentally appropriate word work which leads to a greater understanding of our spelling system.

The WTW texts offer materials that you can photocopy and an incredible number of word sort lists that you can create yourself with a simple template. Many printables are also available on the CD-Rom included with the core text.

Each of my students has the following materials for word work time:

A two-pocket folder with a center flap that has three fasteners

A journal or notebook to record their words

A size #6 manila key/coin envelope which contains their current word sort

A letter size manila envelope or a gallon size plastic bag for storing previous sorts

Instructional Sheets for 5 different types of word activities (see below)

How to Make the Sorts

Typically, my students receive about 20 words o n card stock. There are two ways to create word sorts. The first and easiest way is to use one of the workbooks (see resources books below) and simply photocopy an appropriate sort onto card stock. Each book contains many sorts for that specific stage ready for copying. The second way to create sorts for your students is a bit more time consuming but leaves you with a document for future use. Using the many sorts listed in the back of the main WTW text, I make a template in Open Office Writer, type the words into a table, then print, and photocopy them onto card stock.

Here are the resource books, from left to right, early stages to more advanced.

If you have found this page useful, please consider a simple way to help support it. By clicking these images, you will be sent to view the products at Amazon. If you buy one of the books or make other purchases, a small percent will be donated for the upkeep of this website. Thanks!

For recommendations for books which focus on vocabulary development, visit For other suggestions, see my this page.
book page.

Maintain Order In order to help keep track of hundreds of words in my room, each student colors the back of their words with a crayon. The color of the crayon is specific to that student, so for example when I find a card with green on the back, I know it is from Jomar's envelope.

It can take some time to prepare the materials, especially if you have students on many different levels. But once you have the materials created, you will have them as a resource for years to come. You can also involve your students by having them cut the words out of the card stock.

HINT: I have found that some students are incredibly efficient at cutting the words out while others need more time. Instead of using up instructional time, I suggest exploring a few options: 1) Use a timer to limit the amount of time they have to complete the job. 2) Have the students cut the sorts out during another part of the school day. or 3) just cut them out yourself using a paper guillotine

After first receiving a new set of words, my students perform a "regular sort" and then record the words in their notebook or in a word processing template on the computer. The regular sort requires the students to examine the spelling and sounds of their words and think about ways to categorize them. After every sort, I have the students explain how and why they separated/categorized their words.

On subsequent days, my students will chose other activities to continue practicing with their set of words. (See next section)

What do the students do with the words? The core text of WTW outlines a variety of activities that students can do with their words. I browsed through the options and selected a few that I thought my students would most enjoy and those that would be easiest to implement. I then put together a document that encompassed the different types of activities. This document, pictured above, allows both my students and me to keep track of their progress. This "progress chart" is kept in their word work folders. (Here is the

link for a photo of the student folder and its contents and here is a link to view the document in more detail.)

I chose six different activities. Further below you will find the files so you can download the instruction sheets for your own use.

The six types of activities listed are:

Regular Sort - This is the student's opportunity to begin exploring and categorizing the words in their sort by creating columns or groups of words. When the students receive new words, this sort is mandatory. This is also the type of sort I use when doing a mini-lesson with my students about their words.

As the week progresses, students can choose from one of the following:

Blind Sort - Here students work with a partner who has the same words. They take turns reading 10-12 words to another student who then tries to write and categorize the words.

Speed Sort - A speed sort is a favorite of my students. Using a stopwatch, students see how fast they can correctly sort their words. To add an extra dimension, I try a Speed Sort and then challenge the students to see if they can beat my time.

Word Hunt - In this sort, students select a magazine or book from the classroom library and search for words that fit into their sort. This is another popular activity.
Word Game - Here are opportunities for students play various games with their words. The WTW texts offer a number outlines for games. Also included is a variety of materials (including game boards) for easy photocopying.

Type on the Computer - I created simple 2, 3, and 4 column templates using Open Office Writer. Then I saved them onto the desktops of the computers in my classroom. After completing a regular sort students can choose to type their words into a template, print it, and staple it into their notebook.

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If you're not familiar with Words Their Way , it is a developmental spelling program which has students work with level-appropriate word sorts in order to improve their understanding of the written language. Word sorts are simply a set of words which fall into certain spelling, sound, or semantic categories.

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Sorry, I do not have PowerPoints available for sorts that contain pictures (sorts 1-10 in Within Word Pattern are picture sorts)

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Words Their Way Free Resources for Word Study — Tarheelstate Teacher

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Download FREE Words Their Way word study activities and resources for upper elementary. The activities, resources, tips, and more included in this blog post will help you get your word study routines and schedule ready and organized!

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Around here we are big fans of Words Their Way, an assessment-based, differentiated, leveled approach to spelling and word work.

Here's a little background on our experience with the Words Their Way program:

It's encouraged, not required in our district. Teachers can implement the program however they see fit.

Heidi has taken some trainings but most of our know-how is from the book and trial and error.

We use the sorts weekly but we do not use the program for spelling. Visit our post about Chunk Spelling to learn more about the approach we use.

Hopefully this post will give you some insight and tips if you're looking to learn how to implement and organize Words Their Way in your classroom.

DISCLAIMER: At this time, we no longer use Words Their Way. We now use Word Play, a word study program that incorporates differentiated word sorting and other elements like chunk spelling. Some of those activities and games would make great companion resources to Words Their Way.

But we will always keep this post available to you as a resource!
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WORD PLAY PHONICS

Click here to try a 1 Week Free Sample of Word Play Phonics! To begin using Words Their Way, we recommend that you gather some supplies.
The first step in implementing Words Their way is giving the class a (rather lengthy) spelling test. We use the Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) for 2nd grade. On the Pearson website there are examples of the different tests and run down on scoring them.

Grading the assessment can be tedious, but it's so great to see all the data. Each of the words is broken down into key components-beginning sounds, vowel sounds, suffixes, etc. You don't analyze every part of every word, so you need the feature guide to show you what you're looking for. You put the student's test in front of you and start checking off what was written correctly. We made a form for the students to write their answers on. This form allows us to do a little record keeping right on their forms.

The feature guide in the book is horizontal but we found it easier to grade quickly with a vertical page so we made our own vertical form. We use the same page all year so it is easy to track student growth. Tip: We use a different color pen each time we give the assessment and color the key at the top of the page accordingly.

After checking each word, total the number of checks in each column. The different columns represent different levels of spelling mastery. Each feature is checked in 7 different words. If a student correctly writes the feature (for example, short vowel sounds) 6 or 7 times you know it has been mastered. If a child gets 5 or fewer correct, that's considered the student's instructional level. This is the level the child will benefit most from practicing.
Want our spelling test sheet and vertical spelling inventory?
After testing your students, the next step is to organize them for word study.

The simplest thing is to grab a piece of paper and list the levels down one side. Then look through the assessments and see who fits each category. I write the number they got correct in that category on top of their name.
Making Groups
Here's an example:

The Within Word early group is kind of full. I can see that Diana only got 2 right but the others were much more solid on that level. So I may move Diana down to the previous level. If I have lots of kids on the Syllables and Affixes levels, I might put them all in one group and start them at the beginning of the level. Since the 1st grade at my school doesn't use Words Their Way, the kids may be natural spellers and have no understanding of word patterns. I think it's important for my students to learn the why of spelling as much as the how. Even though they can spell the words, it is beneficial for them to get experience with the rules so they can letter extend them to spell other words.

Keep in mind that this isn't an exact science! In a Words Their Way workshop I once heard, "Do what you can!" That's the key. If you can manage 8 different groups with weekly reassessments, go for it. But if you are only ready for 2 groups with word sorts every other week, that's okay too. Make it work for you! What is important is that you're getting at least some differentiation.

I decided I could handle 5 groups. I made a little notebook to keep track of the groups. There is a half-sheet form for each week. I cut down a post-it note for each group and added the kids' names. (Tip: Using post-it notes makes it easy to transfer the information to the new sheet each week.) Then I list the sort for each week.
Planning
Want to our group planning pages? Click here to get our FREE Words Their Way Resources.

Now to deal with the actual sorts. This is the make-it or break-it point when it comes to using Words Their Way. If you can handle this circus, the rest is easy.

At Emily's school, they ordered a ton of copies of each sort and she had a filing cabinet full of sorts at her disposal whenever she needed them. In case you aren't that lucky, here's a method that worked for me.
Materials Prep
I got some 6 pocket folders from Really Good Stuff, similar to these. I numbered each folder 1-6 and then used a post-it to label the pockets inside with the group level and number of kids. Each folder holds one week's worth of sorts and each group has its own pocket in that week's folder.

The next step took me awhile, but now that it's done I'll never have to do it again! I went through the different sort books (for 2nd grade that's Letter-Name Alphabetic, Within Word Patterns, Syllable & Affixes) and copied each sort on yellow paper. I did them double sided to fit in one binder.

Now, every 6 weeks or so, I take my folders, binder, and record notebook to the work room. I figure out what each group needs for the next 6 weeks and put the copies in the correct pocket. This is when having the master in yellow comes in handy- I never mix it with the copies!

I can copy and organize 6 weeks worth of sorts in less than 30 minutes!

The only other supplies you need are a spiral bound notebook for each student to do their daily sorting, a zipper pocket for each student to hold the weekly sort (we reuse these for a couple of years until they are too beat up), and highlighters for introducing the sorts on Day 1.

With Words Their Way, the focus of the program is sorting the words. It's a great way for children to learn but it can be tedious to do it day after day. The book has lots of different sort suggestions and I've tried most of them.

Over the years, my weekly system has evolved, but this is how it looks most recently.
Supplies
On Fridays, I give each child their sort. They cut the words apart and label the back with initials (so simple, but so handy when you find random words on the floor!), and store the cards in a little zipper pocket. ( Tip: We share an even easier way to do this in another post!)

While they're working, I call each group back to the table one at a time. We discuss the sort and they highlight an exemplar for each category. That helps them to remember what features they're sorting for.

I like to have them start sorting the words while they're still at the table. If it's an easy sort or an advanced group, I might only need to see them sort a few words before I know they've "got it." If it's a trickier sort or a struggling group, I may want them to finish the entire sort with me right then so I can offer guidance and address questions. Depends on the group and it depends on how much time I have at the moment!

Since starting the Daily 5 a few years ago, word sorts are the first thing my students do when they go to the Work on Words station.

On Monday, they sort and write. Tuesday is the favorite: speed sort. I got some sand timers for them to use for speed sorting. Wednesday they sort and graph. Thursday they sort and glue the words into their notebooks. And on Friday we start with the new sort. They can do each sort in less than 5 minutes.

I like to use visual sort instructions to remind the class how to do each type of sort.

Now that I'm doing Daily 5, I have much more free time for working with small groups (Hooray!!). If I can't meet with a group on Friday, I use one of my Daily 5 rotations on Monday to catch them up. I also try to meet with every group once during the week to play a game that relates to their sorts. We have mentioned some of these in previous posts. We have some phonics games in our store that you can use with Words Their Way (but were designed to correlate with our Word Play Phonics curriculum.)
Sorting Routine
Because I don't use Words Their Way for spelling words, I don't do a "spelling test" of their sorts every week though it would be easy to do a quick 4-6 word check of a few words with each group at the end of the week.

However, I do repeat the PSI assessment (mentioned at the beginning of this post) every quarter. After assessments I will rearrange the groups as necessary. The Words Their Way level sort books provide periodic assessments that I have great intentions of using, but don't always (okay, very rarely) get time to use. I've found they provide helpful, but not crucial information, so don't beat yourself up if you can't fit them in to your schedule. Doing the PSI a few times a year is really a good measure of where my kids are and they don't typically change so much in a quarter that you need weekly assessments.

Words Their Way is so thorough in scope and sequence that most of my students progress from one sort to the next in order. Occasionally (especially with my ELL students), there will be a big jump in acquired skills, but most students will go step-by-step. The PSI assessments are still important, though, so you can make sure they are actually progressing and that students are still working at their instructional levels.
There is no one right way to do this. Find what works for you!
It sounds like a lot to take on, but once you establish your organized system, the whole thing will run like a well-oiled machine. And the growth you see in your students will be worth all the hassle of setting it up.

In the years I've been diligent with the program, my kids were much more confident in their understanding of spelling patterns. In the years when I've let it slide, I may have some really good natural spellers, but they don't understand why words follow certain patterns.
Small Group Lessons Assessment If we want to shape good little spellers, it just makes sense to teach them how to think about words.

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Words Their Way : The Ultimate How To Guide

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Around here we are big fans of Words Their Way, an assessment-based, differentiated, leveled approach to spelling and word work. Here's a little background on our experience with the Words Their Way program: It's encouraged, not required in our district. Teachers can implement the program however they see fit.