With school back in session in Australia, I know that many children are beginning the process of learning to read. One common strategy that forms the process of learning to read in many classrooms is the process of learning to read sight words.
Sight Word Learning
Sight words are high frequency words that we use a lot in both verbal and written communication, words like the, come, to, with and where. Unfortunately, they are also usually irregularly spelt, making them difficult for children to sound out phonetically. By learning these words by sight, children are able to read (and write) more fluently which is important to good comprehension. If your teacher is incorporating sight word learning into the class reading program, it is likely that they have already sent home word lists, flashcards and/or activity ideas for helping children to learn these high frequency words.
Helping your child to learn their list of sight words usually involves lots of repetition but it doesn’t have to be dull and laborious. As with all early learning, adding a touch of playfulness to your practice time can help to engage your child more fully with the learning experience.
We offer lots of fun suggestions for engaging children with sight word learning in our Sight Word Games Pack.
You’ll also find lots of playful suggestions for learning sight words in our 50 Playful Sight Word Activity Ideas post.
Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.
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