Puzzles can be an effective tool to teach and reinforce literacy skills, particularly letter and word recognition. Learning doesn’t feel so much like work! Puzzles can be sent home with learners to work on their own time, reinforcing skills taught during tutoring sessions.
Word find puzzles can be created using simple graph paper or through interactive web sites. Puzzles are most effective when they utilize word lists that are relevant to learners, such as new vocabulary they have encountered. Commercial crossword puzzles often have themes. The tutor can choose an appropriate puzzle to supplement learning of a new topic area.
Two examples of word find puzzles are provided in Section 10.
Crossword puzzles are another fun way for learners to interact with new vocabulary. They can be commercial or tutor-created. If the clues are too difficult, the learner can be provided with a word list alone.
An example of such a crossword puzzle is provided in Section 10.