Read, Sort, and Write Worksheets
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Learn about the Read, Sort, and Write routine that elementary students can use to build phonics, word study, and spelling skills.
What is Read, Sort, and Write?
Read, Sort, and Write is a simple word study activity for grades K-5. Students read each word from a list, sort it into a category, and then write it in the matching column.
Teachers use this routine to reinforce weekly spelling or phonics patterns, compare and contrast word features, and help students notice patterns that transfer to reading and writing.
How do students complete a Read, Sort, and Write activity?
Students:
- Read a word from the list
- Decide which category it belongs to based on the column headers
- Write the word on the line in that column
- Cross out the word after writing it
What can students sort by?
Choose headers that match your phonics or spelling focus. Common options:
- Vowel patterns (short a, long a, r-controlled, vowel teams)
- Word families/onsets and rimes (-at, -an, -ight)
- Syllable count (1, 2, 3+)
- Spelling patterns (CVC, CVCe, CVVC)
- Blends and digraphs (bl-, st-, sh-, ch-, th-)
- Parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective)
Why use Sort activities and worksheets in primary grade classrooms?
Word Sorts are a well-established approach to teaching and reinforcing spelling and vocabularly patterns for students.
Word sorts emerged from developmental spelling research in the 1970s and 1980s, pioneered by educators and researchers like Edmund Henderson, Darrell Morris, and Donald Bear. Their work at the University of Virginia led to the development of what became known as the Words Their Way approach to word study.
This research revealed several key insights:
- Children progress through predictable stages in their spelling development
- Spelling ability develops alongside reading skills
- Students learn best when instruction matches their developmental level
- Pattern recognition is more effective than memorization for long-term spelling success
- Word sorts help students discover orthographic patterns independently, leading to better retention and application of spelling and vocabulary knowledge.
Studies have consistently shown that students who engage in regular word sorting activities demonstrate:
- Enhanced phonemic awareness
- Better word recognition
- Improved spelling accuracy
- Stronger reading comprehension
- More sophisticated vocabulary use in writing
UFLI Foundations continues on this trend, making word sorts a key component of its approach to curriculum that is founded on the principles of the Science of Reading.
How can I make a Read, Sort, and Write worksheet?
Worksheet Creator lets you create Read, Sort, and Write worksheets in seconds.
Enter your word list, pick the number of columns, set the column headers, choose the writing line style, and download your PDF.
- Use up to 24 words
- 2-4 columns with custom headers
- Writing lines: single bottom line or 3-line penmanship
Customization options
- Title of the worksheet
- Instructions text
- Number of columns and the header text for each column
- Writing line style for student responses
Can I buy Read, Sort, and Write worksheets that other teachers have created?
Yes! See our Read, Sort, and Write Worksheet Store, created by other teachers. You can customize your own based on any of these worksheets as well.
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