WORD   RINGS

We have started gathering simple sight words or high frequency words on a ring.  We are calling our "collection" our WORD RINGS.  The children will soon be bringing them home to review their words.  We hope to add 5-6 words a week.  These sight words are found in many of the simple books the children are reading in class.  As the children become familiarized with them, they will gain fluency and comprehension.  As the children learn how to form these simple words, they gain speed as spellers and writers.  Please take some time to review these words in a fun way.  Here are some ideas;

1. Use magnetic letters on fridge or magnetic board

2. Let your child TYPE up their words using different fonts

3. let them write the words big and then trace the words again using different colored markers or crayons to create Rainbow Letters.

4. Type the words really BIG and then cut them up into letters.  Have your child try to recreate their words quickly, first matching the words from their Word Ring or your list and then recreating them from memory.

5. Use these words when you write SNACK or LUNCH notes to your child.

6. Use dry erase markers and a dry erase board to write the words.

7. Use a dry erse marker to write the words on the bathroom mirror!

8. Spell out these words using alphabet cookies as a cool snack!

9. Write the words using water and a brush to create Wet Words on the ground outside or on a board at home.

10. "Share the Pen" by helping your child write a note to a friend.  Let your child use and try to spell their sight words in the note.

11. Type up the high frequency words and cut and glue them onto index cards to create your own Word Ring at home or to use as flash cards.

12. And of course READ, READ, READ!!!  instant recognition of high frequency words develops best when children read large amounts of simple texts.

REMEMBER:  

As your child writes these words, have them talk about them.  

For example,

-say the names of the letters in sequence

-talk about short and tall letters  (cat has 2 short letters and one tall)

-name the letter that is in the middle of the word, the ending, the beginning

-say the word as you write it 

-how many beats (syllables) does the word have 

-how many vowels or consonants

-is it like other words you know already

-what doe the words in your Word Ring have in common

-and most importantly, the work you do with these sight words should be FUN and never feel like a DRILL.