When teachers are beginning to use Semantic Sorts to increase vocabulary word acquisition in their content area, I am often asked these 5 questions. If you are unsure how to do Semantic Sorts read here first.
How could you scaffold a semantic sorts activity in your instruction?
When you introduce this activity, you must model the process and your ground rules. You may want to begin your instruction modeling one closed sort in the beginning to get students. First, place the category cards on the document camera, and begin sorting. As you sort, “think aloud” and tell your students how you are making sorting decisions. Make a few intentional mistakes and fix them, discussing your mistakes aloud. Once this is done, pass the card sets out to the students and do a second sort with different categories. This time, you will sort the cards with the students, as you demonstrate with cards. This time the students will be sorting with you and volunteering ideas for sorting. You will provide feedback and corrections. This will help students practice the ground rules you place on sorting and clarify how to complete the sorting. Finally, the students may be able to do a final open sort, creating their categories. Once you’ve modeled how to sort, you will, most likely, not have to model the strategy again. Students will automatically know the procedure.
I've done something similar, why was that not considered semantic sorting?
Keep in mind that semantics depends on meaning. So in our sorting rules, we don’t have students sort by spelling rules or grammar. We wouldn’t accept sorting by nouns and verbs or words that begin with letters of the alphabet that are ordered at the beginning, middle, or end. Although this is important to know alphabetic order or parts of speech, unless you are an ELA teacher and your topic is part of speech or alphabetizing, this would probably be a waste of your instructional time. So it is important to determine your ground rules for sorting to get the most out of your strategy.
An extension to the open sort can integrate writing into the activity. Once students have created their categories, they can arrange the cards on chart paper, and write around the words, creating a paragraph for each category that explains and justifies their choices. This will incorporate all four forms of vocabulary. You then can ask students to put the words together on chart paper or on a digital document for them to Write Around.
Another extension is to give students the set of cards and create a closed sort category for a different group. Group A can give sorting categories to group B, and they must make an answer key.
One more extension for a unit review: Give each student group a blank set of cards and allow them to select what they think are the most important words from the unit. Groups can exchange cards and perform open sorts on a different group’s cards. This activity can serve two purposes: 1.) it serves as a powerful review of the unit, and 2.) it can serve as a powerful assessment. You, as the teacher, can look at the card sets your students created and see what important words they left out. This allows you to review the vocabulary that students left out of their card sets.
Why not have the students just write the words?
So why not just have students individually sort words and silently write these words down in columns on a sheet of paper? Although you can have students group words by writing them down, word sorts using vocabulary cards have several advantages. First, you can create your vocabulary card sets on cardstock and reuse these cards every year. It is also easy to organize and move the vocabulary words around for different categories or correct mistakes without erasing and rewriting. New categories can be formed without writing new lists. Finally, cards are just fun. Students enjoy using hands-on materials for learning.
Why make this a group activity?
Won’t it make classroom management easier if students don’t talk during the sort? Isn’t it cheating if students work together? No. One of the most effective aspects of this sorting exercise comes from the discussions students have during the sorting. Students will discuss and debate their grouping decisions. They will listen to other students discuss the meanings of these words. This leads to meaningful discussion about the content your students are learning. These debates and decisions also help your students develop a richer and deeper understanding of the words they are learning and the overall topic you are teaching. Remember, we want these words to be part of the students’ oral vocabularies. That means they need to practice talking about and listening to others talk about the words. Yes, they can get some oral receptive practice from your lectures, but they will develop a deeper understanding through discussion.
How can I extend this activity?
You can add an extension to this activity. Earlier in the video we discussed the fourth type of vocabulary, print productive. You can help your students use the vocabulary they learned in semantic sorting in a writing activity. You might ask students to write a paragraph for each of the categories. You could even show students how to use several categories from a unit of study to write a feature article. Each category may be a different paragraph in their article. Once your students write an opening and closing paragraph, they’ve completed their articles.
Comments