1 Easy Trick to Simplify Word Sorting

Aren’t we all looking for a way to simplify the management of 25+ students and all their little word sort cards each week? A reader told us this tip a few years ago and we couldn’t believe how simple and easy it was.

It’s a CRAYON.

Here’s what you do…

Buy a big box of Crayola Crayons. At least a 64 count. You want a bunch of really unique colors to choose from. Then give each student a crayon. Pick from the most obscure and unique colors to make this more obvious.

When each student gets a new word sort for the week, teach them to turn over the paper and draw lines down the back of each column with that SPECIAL CRAYON you gave them.

Then when they cut out their cards, each one is marked with their special color on the back. No need to initial.

(Tip: Have each student keep their special crayon wherever they keep their word sort. We love zippered pouches for this!)

So next time there’s a random word sort card sitting on your small group table and you think, “Who does this belong to!?” You can narrow it down by looking at the sort number (if you use Word Play Phonics sorts) to find the group and then identify the owner of that color crayon!

You just gained back 10 minutes of kids initialing word cards each week and 15 minutes a week of finding the owner of loose cards!

Simple. Effective. Try it!