Teaching Sight Words in Preschool
Fun Ideas to Teach Vocabulary with Low Preparation Time
Mar 14, 2009
There are many sight word activities that young students can engage in that take little preparation time for the teacher, teach quickly and efficiently, and will have the children asking to play again and again.
General Tips for Teaching Sight Words
- The words that are being taught should always be kept in the room in plain view so the children can reference them during the games. This phase of teaching is about recognition, not spelling.
- The children should recite the entire word list each day before beginning the normal lesson.
- When introducing a new list, each word should be spelled out on the board with the children identifying each letter. The meaning of the word should then be acted out and explained by whatever means necessary (drawing, acting, etc.).
- Read with the children individually if possible, and send home a worksheet that focuses on the specific words each child needs to work on.
- The children should trace and/or write the words every day for reinforcement.
- Old words should be reviewed periodically.
- When a game is played, it can be helpful to create a point system and use it each time. A sticker can be given to the winner of the day, or, if mark or star system is used (i.e. good behavior=star and 3 stars=prize) then the winner could receive a star. This keeps the children motivated and involved in the games.
Games to Play
Word Scramble
Each student will need a set of alphabet letters (repeat letters if any word has duplicates). These can be printed off the computer and cut out (the children can even cut out the letters and identify the phonics sounds as both reinforcement and as a way to get the sets without a lot of work on the teacher's part). The teacher should then announce one of the sight words and the student who spells it fastest gets a point. Also work well with CVC words.
Word Monster
The teacher will have to make a monster in advance. This can be an old box or coffee can – anything will do. It should be decorated like a silly monster. A little construction paper and a colored printer work nicely. The monster will need to be able to open and close its mouth (with the teacher's help, of course). The teacher should then pass out sight word cards to the students. Here is an example of how to play:
Teacher (Monster): I am hungry for the word and!
The child with that card must put it in the monster's mouth. The more silly and vibrant the teacher is, the more the children will enjoy it. Although it takes a little bit of preparation to make the monster initially, it can be used daily as reinforcement and the children will ask to play again and again.
Word Bingo
Enough blank bingo sheets for each student should be printed out and laminated. Before class, the teacher should fill the blank spots with the sight words for the week with a dry erase marker. The game can be played all week for reinforcement. At the end of the week, they can be wiped off and will be ready for next week's words.
Word Race
All of the sight words should be written on the board, low enough for the children to reach. The class should then be split into two teams and lined up. The first person on each team should be given a marker (or an eraser) and the teacher will then announce a sight word. The first team to circle (or erase) the correct word gets a point. The children will become very excited and competitive if they are allowed to pick out funny team names. For an even quicker, easier version, the teacher can write the words on the board and circle one, giving a point to the first child to yell out the correct word.
Color Coded Word Worksheets
Each student should have a pack of crayons or colored pencil and a tracer with all of the sight words listed. The teacher will then give a command such as "Trace the word 'hello' with blue." The correct words can be revealed as the sheet is filled out, or at the end of the activity.
Teaching a child to read can be a challenging and rewarding experience, and doesn't have to take a lot of extra time to be done right. Children want to have fun, so playing while learning is an efficient and enjoyable way for them to study new words.
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