Alphabetical order game

What the game does

Alphabetical order, or ABC order, is the order dictionaries, glossaries, indexes and class lists use. Here, a set of word tiles appears in a scrambled order. Tap a tile to add it to the row, drag tiles in the row to rearrange them, or tap a tile to send it back. An alphabet strip above highlights the first letter of every word, so the child can see where each one falls.

There are three levels. First letter uses words that all start with different letters. Second letter uses two groups of words that share a first letter, like bed, bird and bus, so the child has to look at the second letter. Third letter goes one step further, with groups like ship, shoe and shut. The number of words can be set from 4 to 8. Check colors each tile green or pink and gives a hint about one pair that is out of order, asking which letter comes first rather than saying it.

Why sorting by hand helps

Putting words in order makes children compare letters one position at a time, which is exactly how you find a word in a dictionary. Moving tiles lets them try an order, see it, and fix it without erasing. The hints show the rule: if the first letters match, move on to the next letter.

Common mix-ups

• Sorting by length or by how the word looks. Only the letters matter, one at a time, from left to right.
• Stopping at the first letter. When two words share a first letter, compare the second letter, and so on.
• Losing track of the alphabet in the middle, around l, m, n, o and p. Singing the alphabet song or using the strip is fine.
• Comparing the wrong letter position, such as the last letters. Always compare the first letters that are different.

A 10-minute routine

• Start on First letter with 5 words. The child points to each word's letter on the strip, then taps the tiles in order.
• Press Check. For any hint, answer the question aloud before moving a tile.
• Do one set of 8 words on First letter.
• Switch to Second letter with 4 words. Ask which words start the same before sorting.
• Finish by finding one of the words in a real dictionary or glossary.

Where it fits by grade

• Grade 1: put words in order by first letter. In England, naming the letters of the alphabet in order is a Year 1 goal.
• Grade 2: sort by second letter and use beginning dictionaries to check spellings (L.2.2.e).
• Grade 3: sort by third letter and use glossaries and dictionaries independently. In England, Years 3 and 4 use the first two or three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary.

Learning more

Eurekami covers English as well as math. Lessons explain each skill step by step, the skill map shows which skills are secure, and Daily Practice brings back the ones that start to fade.