HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD LEARN more SIGHT WORDS?

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1 HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD LEARN more SIGHT WORDS? Children learn sight words by frequently seeing the words in print. Some sight words are easy to learn while others are harder to learn and may require additional practice. Providing opportunities for your child to see and read sight words can be as simple as pointing out a word on a cereal box or as enjoyable as playing a game of Sight Word BINGO together. Using flashcards provides a multisensory way for children to learn and practice sight words. Flashcards allow them to "touch the word" as they see it and hear it. Writing words on flashcards then reviewing them regularly is an excellent way for your child to learn sight words. Keep the flashcards even after your child has learned them so your child can periodically review the words. This will show them the progress they've made and will build their confidence as they see the words that may have been difficult to learn at first are now are easy for them to read. Flashcards TO GO can be made and brought along on car trips in a handy container. Putting flashcards on a ring will keep them all together. Reviewing words while riding in a car can provide a quick effective way to practice words. Storing flashcards in container will keep them handy and ready to use as your child accumulates words. A great way to keep flashcards is to make them small enough to fit in an Altoid container. Put a strip of magnetic tape on the bottom and decorate the top and the container will stick to the

2 refrigerator door. It's so handy! Another fun way to store flashcards is to create a Box O'Words by decorating a box as fancy, or as serious, as you want. The novelty of having a special box will make it more fun for you child when adding or practicing words. Some of these activities will help your child both read and spell sight words. You should pick 3-5 sight words a week depending on the level of difficulty. BINGO TOP TEN SIGHT WORD ACTIVITIES Use a deck of sight word flashcards and a blank BINGO game card (One BINGO game card for each player). Write the sight words in the spaces on the BINGO game. Make sure each BINGO card has all of the sight words, but in different spaces. Each time a card is drawn, cover the word in the BINGO game. A player has BINGO when a line of words are covered. Click here to print out a blank BINGO game card. Jump on It! Write sight words on flashcards and make a second set of the same words. Scatter one set of words face up on the floor, leaving about a foot between each card. Place the other set of cards in a stack, face down. Have your child turn over each flashcard, read the word, then jump on the corresponding sight word card on the floor.

3 Which One is Missing? (A.K.A. Hide the Word) Lay 3-5 flashcards face up on a flat surface. Say, "EYES OPEN" Read the words together with your child. Say, "EYES CLOSED" and have your child close his/her eyes while you take one word away and say, "EYES OPEN." Have them open their eyes and say which word is missing. Take turns so that your child gets to give you the commands and hide the words. Can YOU figure out which one is missing? Rainbow Letters Use art materials such as bubble paint, glitter glue, gel pen on black paper, or glow-in-the-dark ink to create fun effects. Write the words on paper or flashcards to add a little creativity and flair when practicing sight words! You can also choose three colors to spell sight words or use this sheet to roll and spell sight words in rainbow letters. Record your words on this rainbow sheet.

4 Silly Sentences Put flashcards in a can. Take turns picking out flashcards and making up silly sentences using the words. Start by picking one word, then two, then 3, and increase the number of words with each turn. The sillier, the better! You can have your child record the silly sentences. Gone Fishing Make a fishing rod by securing a small magnet to a piece of string, attached to a rod or dowel. Cut flashcards into fish shapes (optional). Put a paper clip on each flashcard and use the rod to "catch the fish" then read the word on each fish as you take it off the magnet. Wand Writing Use a wand to write sight words in the air. "Air writing" can be done almost anywhere and is a great way to involve upper body movements in learning and practicing sight words. You can make a fancy wand by using a rod with a cardboard star at the end, decorated with glitter and some curly ribbon.

5 Sticks in a Can Write sight words on wooden craft sticks or popsicle sticks. Put the sticks in a can so that the words are towards the bottom. Pull the sticks out of the can and read the word. This game can be played in different ways. One way is to designate one stick to be the winning stick, and continue to take turns pulling out sticks and reading them until someone draws the "winning stick". The stick can be labeled "WINNER" or "YOU WIN" (Some people call this game "moose" and write "moose" on the stick). The game can also be played with extra sticks in the can that say "Free Stick", "Pick Again" or "Extra Turn" The game is played until all of the sticks are drawn and the player with the most sticks wins BANG!!! Write sight words on flashcards and also write "BANG" and "JACKPOT" on a few flashcards. Put all of the cards in a pile and take turns drawing cards and reading the words. Whoever draws a BANG card must give each player a card (some people play that you must surrender all of your cards to the bottom of the deck if you get a BANG card). Whoever draws a JACKPOT card receives a card from each player. When the pile is gone, the player with the most cards wins.

6 Memory Write each sight word on two flashcards to make a pair. Lay the flashcards face down and take turns turning over two cards at a time and reading the words. When a pair is revealed it is taken off the playing area. If the words do not match, the cards must be returned to their original spot. Start with fewer word pairs and increase as your child's visual memory skills improve. Vowel and Consonant Spelling Spell the sight words using a black marker or colored pencil to write the consonants and red to write the vowels. Record your words on this sheet.