If you're looking to practice sight words or spelling words, you should try the game Step N Spell. It is super easy to play:
1. Put the large plastic Step N Spell mat on a flat surface (the mat contains all of the letters of the alphabet).
2. One player calls out a spelling/sight word to the jumper.
3. The jumper jumps on the letters to spell the word.
4. Then the players switch roles as a caller or jumper. Keep playing until you have practiced all of the spelling/sight words.
You can find Step N Spell mats here. Make sure to have your students watch closely as fellow classmates jump from letter to letter on the mat to spell words. I hope your students enjoys this active game!
On this blog I have given lots of ideas for board games you can play to practice reading. What about card games? Try playing the game Quiddler. This is how you play:
1. This game is for 1-8 players and the game consists of eight rounds.
2. In the first round each player is dealt three cards. In the second round each player is given four and so on until the final round being a total of ten cards.
3. Each card has one or two letters on it with a certain amount of points.
4. Player 1 draws a card from the top of the deck or discard pile. Then Player 1 discards one card. When the player is able to use all of the cards in his hand to spell words, he may go out by putting the words on the table.
5. The other players then get to drawn one last time and must play as many cards as they can.
6. The scoring is done by adding up the points on the cards used in the words on the table and then subtracting the card value points not used. The player with the most words and the player with the longest word each get 10 bonus points.
You can buy this game here. Have fun playing!
Ready for another awesome reading practice board game? Try the game Wingo. Here is how you play:
1. Each player puts one or two boards in front from them.
2. On the player's turn, he spins the spinner and chooses one of the blocks that matches the color of the spinner.
3. If the player can play the piece he selects on a matching color spot on either of his boards to make a real word, he gets to keep it there. If the player can't use that block to make a real word, he must discard it.
4. The first player to fill up his board wins!
You can buy this game and find out more about it here. Have fun!
I just found out about a great reading practice game called Chip-O! This is how you play:
1.Deal four cards to each player.
2. Player 1 selects one card to play, reads it, and puts a colored marker on top of its picture on the game board. All players get a turn doing those three things (selecting one card, reading it, and putting a marker on the board). Each picture is found on the board twice.
3. The point of the game is to get four of your markers in a row, diagonally, vertically, or horizontally, while preventing other players from getting four in a row.
4. The winner is the person who gets four in a row first!
You can buy this game here. Have fun!
Looking for a fun way to practice long and short vowel sounds? Try out this fun online game called Color Short and Long Vowel Sounds. Here is what you do:
1. Go to the following website: http://www.turtlediary.com/grade-1-games/esl-efl-games/color-short-and-long-vowels.html
2. Click play.
3. Student chooses a long or short vowel sound color and paints all of the words that make that particular sound. For example, if your student clicked on Long A, they would click on the word plate and the other long A words.
4. When your student chooses the correct word, the computer makes a magic sound and then reads the word to reinforce it to your student. If your student chooses the incorrect word, the box will not be painted in.
5. Once your student has completed the game, they will have the option of playing the game again or a different educational game that pops up on the website.
Have fun!
Remember listening to books on tape as a kid? Now kids listen to books on CD. Even better, Lakeshore Learning has created a Phonics read along kit. It is perfect for students just starting out on their reading journey. The kit includes books that focus on short vowels, long vowels, and vowel combinations. Kids love reading about Patty Cat and Tiny Tiger, along with other fun and interesting characters. Each kit has 4 copies of each book (perfect for a small group) along with a CD that reads the text. Kids love following along to the stories and learning just how one uses expression and becomes a fluent reader. You can check out the Read Along Books here. Have fun!
Time to try out a new website! Click on this to get to EZSchool. On this website you will find over 3,000 worksheets and 800 online drills. This website has e-books with reading comprehension and over 100 educational games. It also includes over a dozen tutorials and a year round spelling program. The activities range from Preschool age up through high school. English, Math, Science, and Social Studies are covered on this website, along with some languages as well. Go ahead and take a look!
