word searches
Word searches are a great way to help students spell terminology.
Louise, spelling is half the challenge. I hope you use a word search with your students so that you can see the benefit, too.
Michele Deck
I agree especially since medical terminology is broken into combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes. Since medical terminology reuses these word parts, the repition of these word parts increases knowledge and memory.
Taryn, there is almost never too much repetition in medical terminology courses to assure all have learned.
Michele Deck
I have used word searches with two spelling versions of the same term and to help the student must identify the correctly spelled term. I limit the number of Medical Terms to 10 term with two versions so the maximum number of words on the puzzle is 20. A great way to help build spelling confidence!!
Aki
Aki, many students can benefit from this approach to learning to spell terms correctly.
Michele Deck
Spelling is an issue for certain generations depending on the type of education throughout the country they received & what that school district thought was important. Since I run into spelling as an issue on a regular basis, I have found that word searches work well for those students. I have the definition and they must be able to write the word to the side & also find it in the puzzle. I learned through trial & error if I don't do it this way there is no reenforcement of the word, term & spelling. Students are smart enough to find med terms in the puzzle without knowing what they mean.:)
Lori, thank you for recognizing the value of reinforcing spelling with this approach.
Michele Deck
I have used word searches in the past. I find it helps with retention. the chapters that I used them have a tendency to stick better than others.
I had that same thought! Spelling medical words correctly is a major challenge for my students. Word search and crossword puzzles are excellent ways to accomplish several learning goals.
Pamela, it accomplishes the goal in a fun way. Thanks so much!
Michele Deck
I have not yet used word search activities with my students but i do feel that it will be something that i will begin to do escpecially when they have open book quizzes.
Aleatha, this is a wonderful method to match to open book activities.
Michele Deck
When teaching the elements in chemistry, I have found that they learn them much quicker when using word searches.
Michele, I saw that teded has an interactive chart of the elements. You might take a look at it.
Michele Deck
While word searches can be beneficial for learning spelling of words, those who identify words by their shape, or by their Bouma shape, find that it lacks the teaching powers for those specific students; or those who are exceptional in spelling, but when it comes to the definitions - they suffer.
Word searches are a great learning tool, though they should always be used in conjunction with another project or task to cover the different forms of visual and repetitive learning.
