Sight Words defined
Sight words are words that cannot be easily sounded out and need to be recognised on sight. You will find alot of sight words are also high frequency words - words that occur very often in reading and writing. You may hear these words referred to as high frequency words at times.
Sight words are essential learning for Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students. Teachers will provide your child with the words learnt in class, however the full list is provided here for parents and carers reference if need be.
How to learn the sight words
The sight words for each year have been provided as a PDF document which can be printed off, cut up and used as flash cards or for games. Provided below are some ideas on how to use your sight word cards.
- Focus on 1-3 words a day. Place the flash cards around the house and every time they're spied, read the word! Put them next to your school shoes, on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror, behind your door or on your chair at the dinner table!
- Concentration. You will need two sets of each sight word for this game. Flip over two cards at a time and try to find a match. If a match is found, keep the two cards. Play until all cards are gone. After playing this game, read a book and point out the sight words your child may have had troubles with during the game.
- Snap. You will need two sets of each sight word for this game. Each player puts down a card into a pile and when two identical cards are piled directly on top of one another the first to snap their hands on them gets to keep them. Continue until all cards are gone.
- Treasure Hunt. Hide a "treasure" piece of paper under one of the sight words. Spell out or say the sight word to your child and if they find the word first go, they can keep the treasure! This can also be extended to rhyming words, beginning sounds or numbers.
- Writing sight words with cooked spagetti, on the pavement with a thick paintbrush and water as paint, Play Doh or stones.
- Tracing sight words into sand, mud, shaving foam on the shower wall or flour on the kitchen table.
The key is to have FUN with it. If your child isn't enjoying one of these ideas there is no use continuing with that activity. Children tend to absorb more when having fun and when the task has achievable success. You may find playing some of these games with all of the sight words is overwhelming for your child, so just focus on a few a day or week. Stick to simple, achieveable, quick & fun activities and games.
