Why do word searches

A Harvard Business Review article by Gilkey and Kilts, discusses the benefits of puzzle solving to develop our skill at pattern recognition. Studies have found that word search is effective at helping to teach a second language. Most English speaking adults have a 20 to 35 thousand word vocabulary, while there are over 1 million words in the English language.

Dopamine is naturally produced in our brains. These super fun, editable student coupons let you recognize students with dozens of little free ideas for things they love.

Gifted Youth. The Benefits of Wordsearches. Wordsearches get a bad rap. They Help Develop Word Recognition What looks obvious to an adult find this word in a sea of words is far more complicated to an emerging reader who is learning to tell the difference between a word that begins g-r-e-a- and a word that begins g-r-e-e.

They Assist in Learning Context Clues There are several kinds of context clues that build fluency, some of which can be developed in wordsearches. Semantic or Meaning Clues — When you read about cars, you expect to find words like road , steer , tire and windshield. Picture Clues — Images can give us clues to words and their meanings. Teachers can create wordsearches that have pictures for clues, rather than the words themselves.

This is especially effective if they are kept in families. For example, a science teacher could have pictures of types of cloud formations as clues, with the students searching for nimbus , etc. While they are searching, they have the word and its image in their minds. They Introduce and Review Vocabulary Academic vocabulary is a key to mastery of any discipline.

They Are Fun A lot of us actually like completing word searches. Have students create them by evaluating a text and having them create a wordsearch of a certain set of words most important, inferential, adjectives, figurative language, adverbs, prepositions, descriptive, etc. Students can complete the wordsearch and then create words out of the remaining letters. Give a wordsearch with no word bank and ask students to search for as many words as they can find related to a topic or story.

Wrap-Up When I started my Teachers Pay Teachers store you can read about that decision here , I decided that I was going to only put in quality things I could stand behind. Are they perfect for everyone all of the time? Some Word Searches can be challenging. When they are, it is important not to give up. People who do Word Search puzzles regularly tend to adopt a persistent attitude, which can prove quite beneficial in other areas of life.

It is said that keeping the mind fit and healthy is just like keeping the rest of the body fit and healthy. You need to work it out. Obviously, Word Search puzzles are a great way to do that. Context fluency is quite important for people to be able to communicate and liaise effectively. Doing Word Search puzzles helps people better understand context clues, particularly because Word Searches are themed and the words to be found are all relevant to the theme.

One of the greatest benefits of all in my personal opinion is that a Word Search puzzle is fun. Another of one of my favorite things about Word Search puzzles is that they are so easily taken anywhere. Nowadays, you can buy a Word Search puzzle book, print some puzzles off the internet, or download a Word Search app with you, wherever you go.

Avoid scrolling for hours on social media, or standing aimlessly in queues waiting — now you can pass the time doing a Word Search while also expanding your mind. Are Word Search puzzles beneficial or advantageous to your life and the lives of those around you?

The above 17 pointers prove that they are indeed. Who would have thought that simply having fun and completing a Word Search could be so beneficial to your life?

Want to add value to your life and get involved in a wholesome pastime? Word Search could just be for you. Skip to content. Table of Contents show. Improve vocabulary. Spruces up spelling.

Satisfy enquiring minds. Give one something to look forward to. Reduce screen time. Develop the ability to notice patterns. Improve problem-solving skills.