Key Sound Sort

Key Sound Sort
Language - Reading
Level	Primary
Age	5+
Prerequisites	Digraph Boxes Silent e
Materials	envelope or box category labels word slips

In this activity the child learns that some sounds can be spelled more than one way. They then practice sorting words by those different spellings of a given sound.

Presentation

1. Take one of the Key Sound Sort envelopes to a mat or table. Place it in the upper right corner.

   

2. Explain to the child that all the words in the envelope contain the sound listed on the envelope, but the sound might be spelled one of several ways.
3. Empty the word slips and category labels from the envelope onto the mat.

   

4. Place the category labels across the top of the work-space as shown.

   

5. Take one of the word cards and have the child read it aloud.
6. Have the child place the word slip under the category its spelling fits in.

   

7. Continue in this way until all the words have been sorted under the correct spelling.

   

Variations and Extensions

• Two children could work together. One child reads a word aloud without letting the other child see. The second child tries to remember which spelling of the sound is used in that word. The word is revealed and the second child can see if they were right. Then the children should switch roles.

Further Reading

• Reading Reflex by Carmen McGuinness & Geoffrey McGuinness, pages 227-244