"WORD SORT”: A CATEGORIZATION STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING WORD RECOGNITION ABILITY

Describes an inductive categorization strategy for helping children develop word recognition ability. Using a third grade remedial reader as a case study, the diagnosis of a specific word recognition problem is made and defended. This is followed by a step‐by‐step description of a teaching procedure (word sort) that engages the child in actively analyzing, contrasting, and eventually internalizing the various base vowel patterns (CVC, CVCe, CVVC, etc.) in the English orthography. The article closes with some theoretical and interpretive comments that support the use of the word sort teaching strategy.