How to Practice Sight Words
My Recommendation on How to Practice Sight Words
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Print out the words onto heavy cardstock and cut them apart so they are easy to flip through.
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The first time you sit down with your child, go through all of the cards (this can be one list or all the words for the grade level, it doesn't matter). Put the words they know automatically or instantly in one pile (automatic pile). Put the other words into a separate pile (need to learn pile).
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Put the date on the back of the cards they knew instantly with one check-mark after the date. Also pick 3-5 words from the need to learn pile and add them to the "automatic" pile. You will go through this stack every day. We will call this set of cards the "daily pile."
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The next day go through the "daily pile" again and put a second check-mark by each word they knew instantly.
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Each day spend five minutes on flashcards. Go through the daily pile and put a check mark by date of all words they got instantly. You only put the date down the first time they get it automatically. If your child struggles learning the sight words, go through them twice a day, once in the morning or right after school and one more time before bed. Do NOT exceed 5 minutes on this part of the practice.
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Once a word has three check-marks it goes into the "review pile" that you only review one time a week. I like to use Friday for this stack but you can pick any day.
As a parent you want to add in 3-5 of the "need to learn words" as often as possible but you don't want to overwhelm your child with new words either.
Ways to Practice the Daily Pile
Below are a variety of ways to practice sight words and many of the ways work for learning to spell them too!
Multisensory methods and repetition are the best ways to work on sight words.
Two Additional Sight Word Games
Below are a variety of ways to practice sight words and many of the ways work for learning to spell them too!
Multi-sensory methods and repetition are the best ways to work on sight words.
Whap a Word
Lay about 12 sight words cards on the floor/table. Some he/she knows, some he/she is learning. Give him/her a fly swatter or wooden spoon. Call out a word and he/she "whaps a word" as fast as possible. Switch so he/she calls out the word for you to whap.
Up the Ladder, Down the Ladder
Lay about 12 words cards in a column like ladder rungs. Have your child read down the ladder and up the ladder as quickly as they can. Then start at random points and as you point, going randomly up and down the ladder have your child read the words (again as quickly as possible).
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