Working with Words

Denise Burson
Feb 23, 2009

Empower your students with the knowledge of how words work, using phonics, onsets and rimes, and word study skills. Make this a FUN, interactive part of the day!  The purpose of "Working with Words" is to teach the relationship between phonemic awareness, word recognition, environmental print, and word-building strategies.

One example of "Working with Words"  is an activity where the class chants the words for the week and writes them. This is done to assist struggling readers who may not be able to look at words and remember them. The chant and writing activity provides an opportunity to remember the words as a result of auditory and/or tactile methods.

Ideas for Working with Words:

  • Use rhythm and rhyme

  • Connect with music

  • Bump the words

  • Play WORDO

  • Have scavenger hunts

  • Make a game board

  • Play Challenge the Teacher

  • Count the syllables

  • Build a sentence

  • Play Tic-Tac-Toe

  • Use grids

  • Make Word Wheels

  • Play Verb Charades

  • Make Pull-Throughs

Learn more about working with words and vocabulary activities from Vocabulary Instruction and Vocabulary Development in Language Arts. Another resource is Patricia Cunningham's Working with Words.