How to teach sight words?

**ladybird11** · February 1st, 2013, 02:41 PM

Any teachers or experienced Mumma's out there who can help me with this one please?

DD just started reception and today she came home with 5 sight words she needs to learn (I don't know by when ).

They are : in am the he said

Any tips where I start with this? So far I've written them up on the kitchen white board where I know I'll be able to draw her attention to them randomly and as often as needed. She knows the letters and sounds they make, its just stringing them together....?

**Phteven** · February 1st, 2013, 02:45 PM

Play games - make 2 of each and play like you would play fish or memory.
Flash cards.
Get her to test you. So she points to the card and you say the word and she tells you if you ate wrong or right (you don't need to get them all right).
Do you have letter magnets for your fridge? They are useful for learning words and spelling.

**AliBaby** · February 1st, 2013, 02:51 PM

Agree with Zazou's tips for using them.

Also they are not just for learning to read but also learning to write them so try writing the on a blackboard if you have one or just using texts and paper. If your DS likes computers Or if you have in iPad then get him to type them and then read them.

**Catastrophic** · February 1st, 2013, 02:56 PM

I put mine up on the fridge. And If DD wants to go in the fridge she has to tell me one of the sight words (or we sound them out together)

**Astrolady** · February 1st, 2013, 02:57 PM

we make up sentences. Sometimes they can get really silly.

He said am in the

The more sight words you get better because then you can go between different lists as they have to remember them all once they know them.

Also lots of repetition. I have also had the boys write them out and say them as they write them.

**ladybird11** · February 1st, 2013, 02:59 PM

So its not as much going through the sounds?

Its more "here, this word is _____________" sorta thing?

**misty** · February 1st, 2013, 03:03 PM

It about getting them to 'recognise' the word. So they see it and their brain automatically tells them what it is. So repetition, repetition, repetition.

**Phteven** · February 1st, 2013, 03:04 PM

Yep. That's why they call them sight words.
Sounding out is an important strategy in learning to read but proper reading isn't sounding out. We see words and recognise them because of the shape. That is the aim of sight words.

Usually teachers start with the golden words which are the 12 most common words that make up almost a quarter of the words on a page. After that they move on to the next most popular words until they have the top 100 down.

The golden words are

a, and, be, I, in, is, it, of, that, the, to, was

**AliBaby** · February 1st, 2013, 03:05 PM

Definitely not based on phonetics/sounds. That is why they are called sight words. They are common words that they need to know how to write/ read sentences, that do not always make the sound the letter makes. I.e. the, friend, saw, etc.

you can use sounds as well to help learn them but they need to become automatic IYKWIM.

**Trillian** · February 1st, 2013, 03:06 PM

Ladybird, they are called 'sight' words because they can only be learned by sight - they cannot be sounded out. So they need to be taught by rote learning with loads of repetition. And please don't try to sound them out when helping them learn if they look like they are struggling because it just will not work and will only serve to confuse them more (I'm saying this as a teacher, not as a parent

) The others have some good suggestions. Make it fun and maybe even a little competitive by playing games etc.

**ladybird11** · February 1st, 2013, 03:10 PM

God I'm such a dumb a$$ - I know nothing about this stuff :-(

Thank you all for your quick replies!

x

**Phteven** · February 1st, 2013, 03:14 PM

Dumb would be not asking.

We all start out not knowing this stuff. I think the first few weeks of school are a huge learning curve for parents as well as children.

**AliBaby** · February 1st, 2013, 03:15 PM

You are not a dumb a$$

I would not have known before I became a primary school teacher.

**ladybird11** · February 1st, 2013, 03:17 PM

I'm so out of my league lol!

Thank you for the reassurance ladies - I needed it!

<3

**Catastrophic** · February 1st, 2013, 03:20 PM

Your definitely not a dumb arse! Learning it yourself and then teaching is two different fields!

**wysiwyg** · February 1st, 2013, 03:28 PM

Nope I wouldn't have known either would have had to Google or something - the school gives no guidance at all to the parents?

**Trillian** · February 1st, 2013, 03:36 PM

Our school runs an information session for all new/first time parents to explain to them what they teach the kids and why, maybe your school will do something similar shortly? Don't feel bad for asking