Children Can Learn to Read with Flash Card Games

Children learning to read often struggle with the most common words in the English language because these words do not follow the phonics structure shared by most other words. Sounding out words can also be tiring. Mastery of the most common words (often referred to as "Dolch" words) can speed reading time and increase confidence. But flash cards can soon frustrate the active learner. How to keep sight word learning lively and fun and master that word list at the same time? Play some learning games!

Start by obtaining a list of typical sight words. A web search for "Dolch" words will result in lists sorted by usage, grade level, or an alphabetical list. Start with words appropriate to your child's ability. Write each word on an index card. These cards can be reused in many different games.

Sight Word Hide-and-Seek: Begin with a few simple words, no more than three. Show your child the words and review them. Encourage your child to count or say the ABC's with closed eyes while you quickly place the words in visible areas of the room. Then, call out the first word and wait while your child inspects each word to find the appropriate card. Repeat. Why it works: While searching, the child is mentally repeating the word you called out , then checking visually while moving around the room. This taps into the child's audial, visual, and kinesthetic learning abilities. Increase the difficulty with more words or more challenging words but remember to keep pace with your child's abilities.

Slap the wacky word: This game requires a large stack of sight words and multiple cards of a specific, favorite word. Perhaps "cat" or "bop" or whatever word your child favors. The stack is divided into two piles: one for you and one for your child. Each flips over a card in turn and calls out the word seen. If the special card is flipped each player races to slap the card first, winning the pile and adding it to his or her own. Why it works: The speed of the game encourages the child to quickly process the word and call it out without relying on phonics or sounding-it-out skills. Parents are encouraged to get a few words wrong or forget to slap the card to keep the game silly and somewhat equal.

Hidden Treasure: Have your child pick three to five sight words from a pile and sit down to read a favorite picture book. Let your child know that sight words are important because they show up so many times in our reading and writing. Let your child hold the first card in a place you both can see it while you read, pointing to the words on the page as you go. See how many times the sight word appears on the first page or pages. Repeat with other words. The winning word is the one that appears most often. Why it works: Your child is recognizing the matching pattern of the word on both the card and in print, reinforcing the connection between the letter shape combination and the sound of the spoken word. Encouraging your child to recognize these words in favorite books also demonstrates the importance of learning these high usage words.

Learning to read is a process. Having fun with your child while they learn can be rewarding for both of you. Learning games can not only bring fun and excitement to a repetitious task, they can stimulate learning by including various learning strengths and styles.