Ok, I'm probably over thinking this but I have 3 1/2 year old twins and bought some post it notes with site words on them and want to start teaching them. Do I show them the word and have them basically memorize the word by looking at it and saying it or do you sound it out to show them that it says what it does because of the sound of the letters? They know all the sounds of the letters but I don't know at this age if you go that far to have them sound things out or if it's more memorization? I'm thinking of teaching just 5 a wk.

I am interested in this too. My daughter is going to be 4 in July, and I have only taught her the letters, not the sounds yet. I just bought her a nice preschool book for practice.

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My ds is starting kindergarten in the fall and his preschool gave us site word flashcards to get them ready. But ds doesn't care for flashcards. But he has a few stories memorized and he will grab the book and "read it" to me. Basically running his finger under the word as he says it by heart. He already has picked up a few this way.

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Well, I don't have an suggestions on teaching those at that age. As an early childhood and elementary teacher, I don't know of any school of theory that feels sight words are developmentally appropriate for 3 1/2 year olds. I simply wouldn't 'worry' about it at this stage of their development...

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Sight words, at this age, should be learned simply by being in the environment. They will be much easier to learn and much more meaningful that way as well. For example "Walmart" may be one of his sight words because you go there often. As far as teaching them it may be hard because he may not be developmentally ready to learn. In Virginia reading ten sight words is a Standards of Learning goal for the end of kindergarten. (just fyi I'm a teacher.)

While you are reading a book to them point out sight words that come up (the, of, was, I, a, etc).

I don't think you need to worry about them until closer to age 5, but there are a ton of ways. We have a "word wall" up of all the most common words. Yes I have a bulletin board in my playroom, LOL. Every now and then we go over them. I don't do a set amount-like 5 a week I agree would be good but I'm not that disciplined so we just do it whenever we are in the mood! My dd has a "sight word journal" (from Lakeshore) that she writes them in and draws a picture, she really likes it but it would be easy to make one yourself. We have a few books that teach the words-like Evan Moor and Carson Dellosa-you can find these books at any educational supply store but to be honest we haven't used them.

Really she just picked them up on her own by being read to alot and her beginning readers (like Bob books) have tons of sight words in them. She's 5.

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I too was a first grade teacher and think 3 and a half is young to expect learning sight words. Of course it doesn't hurt to start working by any means, just don't worry if they don't get it for a while. Many people are opposed to flash cards but in my opinion this is one of the best ways to learn them. They are called sight words b/c they are not phonetically correct usually. Therefore, you have to memorize them. I also agree with others who would say practice them by seeing them in context with other words. Ask what words would "make sense" in a sentence and allow them to discover sight words. Good for you for getting a head start on literacy!

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Thanks for the responses and thoughts! I'm not hardcore about it at all, I hope I didn't give that impression. My 2 love to learn and I think if they're ready for 5 year old stuff at 3 1/2 then thats fine. Every kid learns at a different rate.

This will work at almost any age. My son has a problem w/short term memory. But do your kids know how to play FISH? DS' first grade teacher sent home sight words and had us play fish with them - basically, you make two copies of every word - I think there were about 10, maybe? And play Fish with them. At first, you can say the word and spell it out, as long as they know their letters. It really did help DS with both learning the word and spelling.

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