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Children often learn at different stages of their development. Yet, one of the first things a child should grasp when learning to read is sight words. These are typically words that appear so repeatedly that beginner readers can identify them just by looking at them.
Kids learning to read can start with these sight words: and, be, but, can, do, for, have, he, I, is, like, my, not, she, that, the, they, was, what, with, you. Sight words can also be terms that a child often sees, like their name, food labels, street signs, and the likes.
Developing a wide vocabulary of sight words helps children in becoming quicker and more proficient readers as they grow. Because many sight words defy conventional phonics rules, they can't be “sounded out.” But when children master a sight word, they no longer need to pause to mix the letter sounds. Overall, it will boost children's self-esteem and reading comprehension.
With that, here are five sight word activities you can do with your kids to help them learn faster:
Pointing out sight words would be easier if you make it a daily routine to read them aloud with your kids. These will also help them pronounce the words correctly. While reading, you and your kid can underline any sight word that you come across. Eventually, you can have your preschooler do the same on their own!
Together with your child, try and create a story by repeating sight words. For example, you can ask them to write about their day in school or about a recent family trip. In doing so, your child will learn sight words faster if they are spoken and used frequently.
Did you know that you can also help your child's memory by playing games? One of these games is called Word Match Up. To play, just write six sight words three times on a sheet of paper. Your child's task is to draw a line connecting each word to the two words on the sheet that are identical. To make things a little more challenging over time, they shouldn’t cross any lines that are already on the page.
Make a collection of flashcards to help them remember what they've learned. On one side of an index card, each sight word should be written. It's a good idea to go through the cards with your preschooler and quiz them to see what they remember.
This idea will be fun and educational if you don't mind a bit of a mess. One way you can do this is to fill a shallow tray with sand and let your kids spell out the sight words in it using their fingers. This can also work using shaving cream and a cookie sheet. What's nice about this exercise is that it’s simple to correct if they make a mistake. In fact, it will be simpler for your preschooler to recognize the letters if they can "feel" how the words are created!
Sight words are learned through basic memorization and can be taught formally or informally. But always remember that kids learn differently from one another, and one method that is effective for one kid may not work for yours. As such, keep on exploring different ways so that they will acquire this learning, which will have a significant impact on their reading skills later on in their lives!
You can also use technology to help them learn. The Kids Plenty 4D Mobile AR App is a new educational technique that ignites learning in a fun and exciting way. Aside from the activities mentioned above, we can also provide you with augmented reality books and educational apps for kids to keep them amped about learning. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!