Cora is totally into learning how to read, so I am seriously running with it.
She wants to practice the sight words that were included in her kindergarten packet.ย She wants to be able to decode the words in her High 5 Magazine and her Weekly Reader.
She wants to read to her dolls, read to Brady, and read to me.
At least most days she does.
Some days, she doesnโt want to have anything to do with reading, and she only wants to dance or sing or paint or play dress-up.ย But thatโs okay with me because sheโs getting closer, and I know it.
So Iโve been exploring some new and exciting ways for her to practice the โall-too-importantโ kindergarten sight words, and I think weโve come up with a way that seems to work for her.
Hereโs the skinny. . .
Words 3 Ways: Learning Sight Words for Kindergarten:
The concept of words three waysย is simple– children โplayโ with words in three basic ways.
Itโs similar to Maddyโs Trace, Copy, Recall for beginning work with spelling words, but catered a bit more toward littler ones.ย It’s a great way to begin work with sight words.
The printable words three waysย can be downloaded below as a pdf if youโd like to let your little one try it at home.
Sometimes I write the words in uppercase letters and sometimes I write them in lowercase; I want her to be familiar with both.
Cora has been using Words 3 Ways for a few weeks now, so she understands how it works, but when I introduced the idea, I said, Okay, Cora, today weโre going to rake a really big step.ย You just had Kindergarten Orientation, so I know youโre excited for school to start in the fall, but there are a few things weโll do between now and then that will help you be really, really ready for all the funย youโre going to have in Kindergarten.
I know you already know a lotโyour letters, numbers, and how to write your name and our familyโs names, so weโre moving on to bigger things, now, and I know youโre ready. Weโre going to really start playing with sight words.
Sight words are words that youโll see in almost all of the books youโll learn to read in Kindergartenโtheyโre usually small words that you canโt really sound out, so you need to know them by โsightโ. We got a list of sight words from your Kindergarten teachers, and I put them on flash cards.ย Weโll play different games with them, and by the time you start school, youโll be able to read them all by yourself! How awesome is that??!
So today weโre going to start with Words 3 Ways. Itโs a fun way for you to learn five new words.ย The words are here (pointing to words in left column).ย Letโs read them together.ย
Okay, now you get a chance to do three things with each of these words: first youโll use your finger or a highlighter to trace the word.ย Then youโll form the word, and you can do that by stamping the letters, using letter stickers, or using magnetic letters.ย And the last thing youโll do is write the word.ย
So youโll trace, then youโll form the word, then youโll write it.
Letโs start with the first word.ย Iโll read it, then you read it.ย
โTheโ.ย Cora read it herself.ย Great! Now use the highlighter to trace the word.ย
She traced it.
I could tell that you were really concentrating on each letter: โtโ, then the โhโ, and then the โeโ.ย
Cora’s writing herย words. . .
Now you get to form the word, or build it.ย
Do you want to stamp it or use letter stickers?ย She chose to stamp the word, and as she hunted for and then stamped each letter, I said the letter name.
Finally, you get a chance to write the word all by yourself.ย
Do you want to use a pencil or the bee pen or a marker to write it?
She used the pencil, just like Owen and Maddy use for their homework, to carefully form each letter.
Fabulous job! I said.
While Maddy and Owen worked on their homework, I talked Cora through the next two words; she finished the last on her own.
And the next few days, she asked me for Words 3 Ways with different words.ย Awesome.
Right now, Words 3 Ways has become Coraโs go-to, her favorite โhomework timeโ activity because sheโs all about reading. Iโm a huge fan, too, because I can really add any words I want into the sheetโfamily names, color words, number words, sight words, you name it.ย And I like that she’s tracing handwritten words; we sometimes forget that kiddos need to learn how to read handwriting and print.
Words 3 Ways gives emerging readers an opportunity to focus on a small number of words, looking closely at them in three different ways–first tracing the word, then building it, and then writing it on their own.
It’s not foolproof, it’s not instantaneous, and it requires foll0w-up, but it’s a start!ย Happy sight word learning, little readers!
Grab your copy of the form here:
We’re huge fans of Melissa & Doug’s Alphabet Stamp set because it is a super set for emerging readers to use when building words, playing with names, or creating personalized masterpieces for loved ones.
Want a few more alphabet activities? Check out:
- backyard alphabet hunt
- homemade alphabet book
- leafy letter learning
- ABC hunt
- on the road ABC hunt
- lowercase ABC hunt
- build your own bingo: uppercase and lowercase match
- ABC cards and clothespin match
- alphabet letter splash
- alphabingo (play with lowercase letters)
- alphabet letter lids
- leafy outdoor alphabet hunt
- build your own board game
- clothespin letter match
- 10 fun ways to learn theย alphabet
And don’t miss our #raiseareader series on YouTube!
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