FIRST GRADE READING SKILLS | SIGHT WORDS
Sight words for 1st grade make up 50-75% of the books your child will begin reading. Children who can recognize sight words quickly will strengthen their reading fluency and comprehension. When children can read sight words effortlessly, they can spend their energy on sounding out more difficult words or understanding the story’s meaning.
Sight words are memorized as whole words because often they do not follow the regular rules for sounds.
HOME ACTIVITIES
Why?
The most important aspect of teaching sight words is teaching kids WHY they must memorize these whole words. Sight words for 1st grade have an important job because without them a lot of books and writing would not make sense. We’re learning them so we can enjoy a good story! As much as possible, point out sight words when you see them so your child cansee their role in stories.
Start easy
Focus on only one or two words for a week. Anymore than this before your child is ready will overwhelm and frustrate them. Remind them that a lot of times sight words don’t follow the spelling and sound rules, they can be tricky!
Paper Color Words
Once you’ve chosen a few words, write them clearly, in large, thick lowercase letters on a piece of paper or notecard. Write only one word per piece of paper or notecard. Have your child color the paper to give it a blue background or use color paper. Using any color will help the word stand out visually and in your child’s memory. You can use these cards like flash cards and review the words each day.
Word Boxing
Another technique to help student remember words it to “box” the letters. After you have written a sight word on a piece of paper, carefully draw a box around each letter. These boxes will help children visualize the words in their mind so they can retain them.
For early readers, memorizing sight words is invaluable for literacy. Here are the 47 sight words that will help your first grader start learning to read: https://argoprep.com/blog/first-grade-sight-words-list-and-basics/.
after
of
again
old
an
once
any
open
as
over
ask
put
by
round
could
some
every
stop
fly
take
from
thank
give
them
going
then
had
think
has
walk
her
were
him
when
his
what
how
white
just
who
know
will
let
with
live
yes
may