Reading Sequence: Idea #99

When your child first learns how to read, it is important that they have heard someone do it. Reading books to your child is vital. After choosing a simple book on your child's level, make sure that you follow this sequence:

1. Teacher/Parent Reads: Have your student listen to you read the story (even if the book only has three words in it)

2. Read Together: Your student reads the story slowly with you 

3. Student Reads: Now that the student has both heard and read the story once, let them try on their own. If they struggle with it while reading on their own, start the cycle over again.

As a teacher, I saw a lot of success with this process. Kids felt more confident and were actually excited to take books home to read to their parents. Try it out!

Fry Words: Idea #98

What are Fry Words? Fry Words are words most commonly used in reading, writing, and spelling. Students are expected to read the word within 3 seconds once they have seen it. So, much like sight words, your student should see the word and just know what it says. Mastery of fry words leads to reading success in the upper grades.

Once your student has learned the sounds, sight words and word families, you could start introducing your student to fry words. Take a look at the following website to find a list of fry words: http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/Fry-1000-Instant-Words.html.

Don't get overwhelmed with the amount of fry words there are. Many of the words listed are sight words your student already knows. The list is just a good way to keep your child progressing to become a fluent reader with a great sight word vocabulary.

Sight Word Readers: Idea #97

When I taught 1st grade I loved to use Sight Word Readers to practice sight words. 

FOR THE STUDENT: The Sight Word Reader set contains 25 different books that introduce 50 different sight words. There are five copies of each book, so you can read them together in a small group. Each book introduces two sight words. These sight words can be found on almost every page of the book. The books are simple reads and a great way to help your student gain some reading confidence. 

FOR THE TEACHER: There is also a special teaching guide where you can print off each book so your student can take them home and practice. My students loved taking the readers home. You can also find sight word worksheets and assessment forms.

ACTIVITY: Before we would read the story together, I would have my student find the two sight words in the book. For example, if the two sight words were: to and the, I would say, "Every time you see the word to in the book, highlight it green." Once they completed the task, I would say, "Every time you see the word the in the book, circle it blue." 

You could also try having your students do some type of action every time they read the word. For example, "Every time you read the word to, clap your hands" or "Every time you read the word the, stomp your feet." Kids love it. 

Check out these books at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sight-word-readers-box-set-scholastic/1102594563?cm_mmc=googlepla-_-book-_-q000000633-_-9780545067669&cm_mmca2=pla&ean=9780545067669&isbn=9780545067669&r=1

I hope you find them as useful as I did!

Alphabet Quilt: Idea #96

When your student is practicing letter sounds, an alphabet quilt could be a great way to get them motivated. Each time your student masters a letter sound, give them a quilt square to decorate for that sound. Once they have mastered all of the letter sounds, the quilt will be finished. 

Here is what you do:

1. Get 26 pieces of paper. Make sure they are all the exact same size.

2. Each time your student masters a letter sound, give them another square. You can either print fun things for each letter sound off the internet or have them draw something.

I got my printed pictures from: www.TwistyNoodle.com

3. Once they  have mastered all 26 letter sounds, tape the squares together in alphabetical order. This is the back view.

4. Your quilt is complete! Place it in a somewhere your student can see frequently. My quilt is very simple, but you can decorate it and be as crafty as you wish with the completed product.

You can also make your alphabet quilt using photos, as shown on this blog: http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/decorating/paper-alphabet-quilt.html. 

OR

You can make an actual quilt (not made out of paper) for your student if you're super ambitious. Here is an idea: http://www.arbeedesigns.com/abc-baby-quilt/

Your student will love making this alphabet quilt! Have fun!

Labeling objects: Idea #95

An easy way to help your child learn basic words around your house is to label them. For example, picture is a pretty common word in books, but it is not a sight word or one that is easy to sound out. Picture would be a very beneficial thing to label in your house. 

If you label too many things, it might loose the effect, but if you start with a few labeled things and gradually add more, it wouldn't be so overwhelming for your student.

WHAT TO DO: All you do is write the word on a piece of paper and tape it to the object. Once your student can identify that word in their reading, take the label off the item and put a new label up for a different item.  

For example, if your student struggled with the word picture, you would write picture on a piece of paper and tape it to an actual picture around your classroom or home. Once your student could read picture in a story, have them take the label off. Then write a label for a different item. Have fun reading with your student.

Sight Words Puzzle: Idea #94

Puzzles are fun for kids as long as they do not have too many pieces. Try making a sight words puzzle for your student. They are easy to make. Here is what you do:

1. Print off a picture you like from online (or draw one) and get a piece of cardboard (I used the back of my spiral notebook).

I found the picture on the following website: http://www.funnycoloring.com

2. Glue the page to your piece of cardboard (you can't really tell I glued them together, sorry).

3. Take the picture and draw 20 puzzle pieces. Make sure you draw them with a color other than black (I learned the hard way). Also, make sure your picture is already colored or you take the time to color it (I learned the hard way). 

4. Cut out the puzzle pieces carefully!

5. On the back of each puzzle piece write a sight word (or words that your student is practicing). You can find a list of sight words on the following website: http://www.education.com/magazine/article/prekindergartensightwords/.

6. To play the game, have all of the pieces facing with the sight word up. Your student takes one puzzle piece at a time and reads the word on it. Then your student turns the puzzle piece over and starts to put the puzzle together.

7. Once your student has read each sight word and has fit the pieces together, they will see what picture the puzzle makes!

 

Have fun!

Raffle Ticket Game: Idea #93

It is so important that your student masters sight words. Reading will become so much easier and quicker once they know them. A great way to practice sight words is to make it a game. Here is what you do:

1. Teacher/Parent Preparation: Get some raffle tickets (or paper that is about that size) and count out 20 of them.

2. On each raffle ticket or piece of paper, write a sight word. Put them all in a bowl or cup. Then put them aside for now.

3. Get twenty 8x10 pieces of paper. Write those same sight words on each piece of paper (in large font).

4. Post/tape the twenty pieces of 8x10 paper around the room in places your student can easily see.

5. How to play: Student chooses a raffle ticket out of the bowl. The student reads the sight word and then has to find the 8x10 piece of paper that matches it in the room. If your student does not know a sight word, put the raffle ticket back in the bowl and have them pick a different one. 

Your student will love finding the sight words in your classroom!