Word Mapping Form

Since the brain’s working memory can only do so many things at once, recognizing the sounds represented by letters and letter combinations by orthographically mapping a word helps readers to automatically recall and read words. Continued exposure and practice with mapping will, over time, eliminate the need to decode every word, thus freeing up the brain’s working memory to process and understand what is being read.

Orthographic mapping provides a physical way to represent the relationship between phonemes and graphemes. It is a mental process that requires readers to say the word slowly and listen for the individual sounds the letters or letter combinations represent. The number of sounds in a word tells us how many sound boxes the word will need when mapping.

Use this form for students to practice mapping words on their own, or laminate and use as a tool in small group instruction.