SNAP Words

can, here, is, look, like, my, see, to

SNAP WORDS

In the classroom we call these words that are on our word wall our Snap Words. They must be known in a snap, (snap your fingers!). They are the words that your child uses in their writing and are found frequently in their reading. Many times they cannot be said slowly (sounded out) because the letters in them don’t follow the expected rules of sound. When your child knows these words they are freed up to spend their reading and writing energy on decoding the rest of the print, on their comprehension and creation of the stories. Knowing these words quickly, either to locate them on the Word Wall or, even better, knowing how to spell them conventionally, leaves your child with the mental energy to put into the reading and creation of their stories and to have the connections to write other words they don’t know.

Work with these words to make sure they are well know. I'll update the list as we begin to focus on an additional word. You can add their name, Mom, Dad, siblings' names, last name, whatever they call their grandparents...one at a time until the word is well known.

If you would like to chat about any of these suggestions, or if you have any to share, please let me know. Email me with the best time to call (maybe 2 suggestions) and the best number at which to reach you.

Your support and involvement in your child’s learning is very much appreciated.

Happy Learning

Solidifying their Knowledge

Make the word

You could use magnetic letters, or print the letters, lower case, on small pieces of paper. Stiffer paper is better – use a cereal box. Present the letters in the words to your child, right side up and not in a line. Have them make the words as quickly as they can. They may need the support of a card with the word correctly written.

Eg r

h e

e

This is a 5 minute task. Focus on one unknown word at a time, until your child is quite quick to make the word. Make sure they read it each time they make it, LOOKING AT THE WORD, running their finger under the word, left to right. They can also say the letters as they build the word.

Rainbow Writing

You write the target word in lower case letters using a pencil. Your child traces over the letters with a colour (marker, pencil crayon, crayon) of their choice. As they trace each letter they say the letter. When they finish the letters they say the word. Make sure they are looking at the word when they say it. Reeat this with a few colours.

Make a Memory Game

You could make a Memory-type game. Write the words on cards, 2 copies of each word and place them upside down. You and your child can take turns turning over 2 cards, reading the words and collecting pairs. Try to have only 1 or 2 new/unknown words in the game. This allows them to focus their energy learning only 1 or 2 new words at a time. If your child doesn’t know enough of the words to make the game add their name and some known letters to the stack of cards. If you are doing letter write the uppercase letter on one card and the lowercase letter on the other. As words become very well known remove them from the stack. (This is a great way to learn the names of the alphabet letters as well, remembering to only have 1 or 2 unknown letters.)

Word Wizard

Make a Word Wizard. I can’t even think how to describe how to do this! The tricky part is making sure that the words are all the right way up.

I'll get a picture of this on here as soon as I can!

Make a Book

Make a book using the word. Make up a repetitive sentence for your child to read.

I have a teddy bear.

I have a bed.

I have 2 brothers.

You can print the story except the sight word. Let you child print that. Your child can illustrate the page. Keep these books and re-read them. Your child can read to a sibling, a stuffy, someone over the phone...

Unscramble the Word in a Sentence

Start a sentence and have the child fill in the target word using magnetic letters or cardboard with the letters written on them and them complete the sentence. Well that sounds confusing! We used to do this in school on the white board...perhaps your child can help you! For example:

Write on a piece of paper I like to

Give your child the letters for the target word play

Your child makes the target word play and puts it in line with the rest of the sentence

Your child them completes the sentence orally on the swings.

You can do this until their interest wanes.

Make a board game.

Draw a path and print the words on the spaces in the path. Take turns rolling the die and reading the word on which you land. Make sure your child is seeing the word right side up! (Again, this words well for letters, too.)

Read Around the House

Write words on a card (use cereal boxes, cracker boxes for the cardboard) and place them around the house. Your child can only pick up the words they can read.

Mirror Writing

You can also write a list of known words and 1 or 2 new words on a mirror with a white board marker. Test it first, please!! For extra letter practice and fine motor work ask them to erase the letter you name.