Sight words is my favorite topic to teach. They are the basics of reading. Kids spot them, find them, read them, and this way the magic happens. How to teach sight words virtually even if you aren't tech-savvy? Let me show you my ways.
Step 1: introduce sight words in a fun way
Introduce 3 sight words. Tell kids that these are magic words and think of a certain movement that goes along with each sight word. Then kids can repeat this movement over and over (virtually on a Zoom call or in the classroom).
Step 2: practice sight words by signing
There are tons of ways how you can practice sight words in the classroom or during at-home learning and I mentioned them here.
As for the virtual way, here is what I propose. Divide kids into 3 groups and assign a song to each group. Also, assign one of those 3 sight words to one group. The first group sings the song with their magic word (using the tune if the song). Other kids should mute themselves. Then repeat with the rest of the kids.
Step 3: practice sight words with emojis
You can prepare emojis images in advance by printing them (use only emojis for each letter of those 3 words, for example: came ? ? ? ?). First, you can introduce printed emojis and ask kids to guess the word you are showing. Then play around and show 2 other words. Then type the emoji pattern in the comments and ask kids to unscramble. You can also prepare many patterns, divide kids into new groups, and let them unscramble / guess the sight word.
If you are using Mac, type control+command+space and the emoji & symbols window will appear.
Here are the patterns of emojis that are all about the word CAME:
🐱🍎🙉🐘
🐪👼🌽🦅
🎂➡️📫👂
🚕🚨🧲🐣
Step 4: practice sight words with dice
You can use a dice you have at home. Or you can use a virtual dice by clicking here.
Ask kids to roll dice and do the following action with sight words
- Make a sentence with your sight word.
- Find a rhyme to your sight word.
- Type your sight word in the comments.
- Write your sight word with pencils or in the air.
- Say your sight word aloud and add 3 more words you know.
- It's time to move! (here you can ask kids to dance or run around the table, etc.)
Step 6: use silly voices
Ask kids to use silly voices and repeat their words 3 times.
You can ask kids to use the following silly voices and say sight words
- baby voice;
- parrot voice;
- cat voice;
- dog voice;
- robot voice;
- mouse voice;
- alien voice, etc.
Step 7: practice sight words with Google Slides Activities
You can use the following activities for asynchronous learning or assign them as homework.
Sight word activities TYPEWRITERS
Children can build the word by dragging letters, find the word in the word search and choose the right spelling.
Sight word activities CLEAN ROOM
Kids will find the same sight words written in different fonts.
Sight word activities KEYBOARDS
Kids will read a sight word and drag keyboard buttons with the right letters to the keyboard. Then they will look at boxed words and choose the right box (corresponds to the given sight word). They will drag a star to that box. In the end, kids will make a sentence with a given sight word and type it in the field.
Sight word activities Llamas
Kids will find puzzles and put them together to make a sight word.
Sight word activities MONSTERS
Kids will put high-frequency words in the right order to make a sentence.
Sight word activities BUNDLE
Google Classroom has been a huge help with building my students' sight word fluency!
Yearlong Bundle of activities for Google Classroom
Practice not only sight words, but also CVC words and phonics in an engaging way. 2200+ slides of pure practice!
If you'd like to try Google Slides Activities, I have a freebie for you!
I hope, this blogpost is helpful for you and you can try all the steps mentioned to teach and practice sight words virtually. And yes, there is no need to be so tech-savvy!
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