Sight words, sometimes referred to as high frequency words, are common words that students need to read often in sentences and stories. These words do not fit standard phonetic patterns and need to be memorized. These include words like who, does, said, come, etc. Once a student learns to quickly recognize these words, reading comes more easily. There are two well-know lists of words. They are:
Here are some of my favorite fun and engaging activities for your students to learn sight words!
High Five the Sight Word
Write a sight word on an index card and tape it on a door in your home or classroom. As your student enters or leaves the door, they can give the word a high five and read the word aloud. Change the words out regularly, or keep a tricky one there for a while.
Trace Sight Word Over Highlighter
Using a highlighter, write a sight word on a piece of paper 3 times. Now let your student pick out their favorite color markers or pens and trace over the word making sure that the color they use is darker than the highlighter you used.
Write Sight Words in Shaving Cream
This activity never gets old! Spread shaving cream out on a flat surface or tray and then let your student write out the words. This is really messy but oh, so fun! You can also put shaving cream on a mirror in the bathroom – makes cleaning up a bit easier.
Sight Word Bean Bag Toss
Write sight words on index cards and spread them out in the yard or in a large room. Your student will simply toss a bean bag and read whatever word the bean bag lands on and pick up the word and place it in a pile off to the side. Keep playing until there are no more words left to throw the bean bag on.
Play Sight Word BINGO
Kids love playing BINGO and you can customize the BINGO Board to work with any sight words you are currently working on.
Watch this short video on how to make and play Sight Word BINGO with our favorite teacher Ms. Renee.
You can get a FREE BINGO board download >> HERE
Go on a Word Hunt
Obtain used picture books or reading passages and have your child hunt for the target sight word on the page. Using a highlighter, have your child highlight the target sight word. Go back and reread the story to your child and every time you get to the highlighted word, they can read the word aloud.
I Have a Resource for You!
Thank you so much for reading my post today! You might also enjoy reading my previous posts:
How I Help With b/d Letter Reversal
Please don’t leave without checking out the PRIDE Reading Program. The PRIDE Reading Program is an Orton-Gillingham curriculum that is used by teachers, tutors, and homeschooling parents worldwide with great success.
Do you have a favorite sight word activity? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!
Karina Richland, M.A., is the author of the PRIDE Reading Program, a multisensory Orton-Gillingham reading, writing and comprehension curriculum that is available worldwide for parents, tutors, teachers and homeschoolers of struggling readers. Karina has an extensive background in working with students of all ages and various learning modalities. She has spent many years researching learning differences and differentiated teaching practices. You can reach her by email at info@pridereadingprogram.com or visit the website at www.pridereadingprogram.com
Very great information thanks for sharing
I have often used the sight word Bingo when I was a para-educator with ELL children. I also love the tactile experience of writing sight words in shaving cream or pudding or corn meal.