I'm going to share with you some fun and engaging ways to teach sight words. I mentioned in this post, that I LOVE teaching sight words!! There are numerous reasons, but one of them is the essential fact that learning sight words is just a hop, skip and a jump away from reading fluently!
Edward William Dolch, in 1948, created a list of words that he believed to be essential for all students to learn first! Many teachers have found this to be true. Unfortunately, not all words can be sounded out.. so confusing! But, when you teach your kiddos sight words, and the simplicity of recognizing them by sight, they stand a better chance at becoming fluent readers!
Here are 25 Ways to Teach Sight Words:
1. Word of the Day
Consider a word of the day or week. Students can write a sentence with the word and add it to the class chart before, during a lesson or even as an exit ticket.
2. Sight Word Search
These Kindergarten Sight Word Searches are a great review of the sight words. You can find these sight word searches here.
3. Sight Word Songs
Click the picture to watch!
My students LOVED these!!!
4. Sight Word Practice Pages
I blogged about these here.
5. Sight Word Make a Match on Starfall
This can be played individually on the computer, on an ipad, or whole group with an interactive board.
6. Use a doodle sketch or whatever you call these...
These would be perfect to review sight words during small group time. Anything that keeps your students engaged and is hands on is perfect for reviewing sight words.
7. Spelling Practice on ABCya.com
This is a fun game to practice whole group, small group or individually with a smart board, computer or ipad.
8. Another fun interactive way to ask your students how to spell a word. This game is also on ABCya.com
9. Playdoh Sight Words
This photo came from Mrs. Bremer's Class blog. She found a freebie to use for making sight words out of play doh. Fun!!
10. Sight Word Necklace
This idea came from Kinder by Kim. She says to wear a sight word necklace and as your kiddos enter the room they have to tell you the sight word. Great idea!
11. Literacy Centers
There are so many fun ways to incorporate sight words into literacy centers. This activity is in my Fall/Halloween Math & Literacy Centers.
12. Interactive Sight Word Sentences
If you have an interactive board-- this is one of the easiest centers to make! I would simply insert a picture per page, and separately type up the words in the sentence. Then, I made sure to mix them up and save the entire flipchart.
13. Sight Word Sentence Building Pages
This particular page is from my Apple Unit.
14. Simple Sight Word Books
I LOVED making these books! The student had to put the sentence in the correct order, match the picture, then read it to a few friends, to me or silently.
15. iPad Sight Word Games and Resources
There are so many iPad sight word games. Just try googling it and see what happens!!!
15. Morning Messages
Before each reading lesson, we always had a morning message. I would pick a few students to come to the board and circle/underline some of the sight words that were found in the sentence.
16. Using Sight Words with Crafts
PS- I cannot for the life of me remember where this idea came from.. if it was you, feel free to comment below!
17. Tree Maps
Tree Maps help teach your students/child how to write a paragraph. It all starts with the sight words. "Bats can fly. Bats have wings. Bats are creepy!"
18. Flashcards
Let's not forget flash cards! Repetition is key.. so there is nothing wrong with bringing these bad boys out here and there!
19. Sight Word Songs to Review a lot of Words
Click the picture to watch!
20. Homework Checklist of all Sight Words to Parents
This comes from my Read like a Rockstar Pack.
21. Sensory Bin
This would be so much fun for building sight words. Stick a little recording sheet at the center and call it common core (haha).
22. Sight Word Sticker Books
This was another idea that came from Mrs. Bremer's Kindergarten blog. Give them a sticker for each word they can read. Over time they will be able to fill the entire book!
23. Water Color Sight Words
This comes from Sharing Kindergarten. Kids love to paint, so this center is a no brainer for student engagement. What a fun center!!!
24. Magnetic Letters
We can't forget those magnetic letters!
This is a perfect hands on activity for those kinesthetic learners.
25. Websites: Pinterest & the SightWords.com
Lastly, I almost always have to mention Pinterest.. I am such a visual person and it helps me to get ideas, inspiration, tips, tricks, etc.. with the millions of pictures. I just started a board for Sight Words. Be sure to follow it!
Make sure to check out www.sightwords.com. They have so many games and resources for FREE-- yup that's right FREE!!!
I hope you found some great ideas to implement into your own classroom. Be sure to check out my newest sight word unit below!
Thanks for stopping by!
