Free Word Searches for Special Needs Learners in Elementary Schools

Word searches are a set of words which are hidden amongst randomly generated letters on a grid. Words can be hidden in various directions within the grid, and the size of the grid (and therefore the number of words hidden) can vary from one word search to another. Students love doing word searches, often because they are satisfying, easy to complete and can be quite relaxing at the end of a long lesson or difficult task.

From a teaching point of view, word searches can be helpful in:

• consolidating vocabulary which has been recently learnt
• introducing a new topic
• providing a task which can be completed in a known period of time
• giving students something to do on a wet or cold day during a lunch or play session
• encouraging problem solving and concentration skills
• building on already established literacy skills

The downside is that creating word searches can take valuable time out of your preparation allocation; time you could spend more wisely I'm sure!

Word Search Factory is a computer program which allows teachers to customise and generate their own word search puzzles for use by students. It is an easy to download program, available online at Schoolhousetech.

Word search factory has a number of features which make it attractive to special education teachers:

• The word list can be customised, so word searches can be generated to target specific student literacy and vocabulary needs
• The size of the grid can be changed from an extra small grid (10 words) up to an extra large grid (30 words)
• The orientation of the words can be adjusted, so for some students the option of having diagonal words can be eliminated, meaning only vertical and horizontal words need to be searched for (useful if you are concerned about students with text directionality issues)
• The font size can be altered
• The word searches can be printed out and saved for later use
• The word searches are extremely quick to generate, making it a simple task to create a work sheet at short notice
• The text and grid layout are clear and simple, and extra features such as the picture and grid coordinates can be removed to reduce visual distractions

So now creating word searches for your students can be much easier and you have the added bonus of creating word searches that are customised to suit your unit of work and the needs and abilities of your learners too.