Are you looking for a reading enrichment activity for your gifted and talented students and high achievers? Word Ladders are perfect for early finishers to have fun while still developing critical thinking, problem-solving, word structure, and vocabulary skills.
What are Word Ladders?
Word Ladders were originally invented by Lewis Carroll in 1877. He originally called them Word-Links. Word Ladders require you to get from one word to another by only changing one letter at a time. The starting word and ending word must have the same number of letters. The words that are created on each rung must be real words found in the dictionary and cannot be proper nouns. Word Ladders can be solved with or without clues, but are more challenging without them. Watch this Instagram video to learn more.
Why Should I Use Word Ladders?
- Develop critical thinking skills
- Develop problem solving skills
- Analyze word structure
- Expand vocabulary
Word Ladders are often used for beginning readers as a way to increase phonemic awareness and phonics skills. However, longer words are also great puzzles for advanced readers. Students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and word structure skills as they think through the possibilities of letters that they could change to link the beginning and ending words. They must evaluate different choices and adjust letters as needed to create real words.
Word Ladders also increase vocabulary by requiring students to encounter unfamiliar words. They can look up words in a dictionary or online to see if the word exists and learn the definition.
How do I Use Word Ladders?
Word Ladders are easy to print and use. They can be given to early finishers to complete independently when they complete a task. They can also be solved with a partner or in a small group. Students should be challenged to find the shortest possible word chain. When students get the hang of how they work, they could make their own based on a set topic.
Are you ready to try word ladders in your classroom? Download this free version to engage and challenge your gifted and talented students today.
Enhancing Enrichment 