| Teachers who work with young readers strive to | | | | 5. Set up the slide show to advance with a |
| provide multiple opportunities for students to | | | | mouse-click rather than automatically, especially when |
| encounter and read the all-important high-frequency | | | | you first begin using PowerPoint® 'flash cards.' |
| words. Many educators (and parents) still purchase | | | | 6. Tell students that you will be displaying a word on |
| flash cards. Using today's technology, I'd like to | | | | the screen. If they know it, they can say it out loud, |
| suggest an alternative - PowerPoint® shows with | | | | can raise their hand and say the word, can tell a |
| the high-frequency words displayed. | | | | neighbor what the word is, etc. Just vary what you |
| Some tips and suggestions for how you can use | | | | want to do depending on your style and the way |
| PowerPoint® slide shows (which show the | | | | you like to engage your students. |
| high-frequency words, one at a time) with your | | | | 7. Because we don't want students just learning |
| students are listed and explained below: | | | | words as separate entities, but rather, recognizing |
| | | | that they function in context, I prefer to display a |
| 1. Choose a plain template since you want minimum | | | | word, have a student say the word, and then ask |
| distraction. | | | | students to give phrases or sentences that use the |
| 2. Input the words that you want your students to | | | | word. For example, if the sight word is "were," then |
| practice (or access one of the ones that I have | | | | students could suggest, "We were on our way to |
| already created that you can receive for free) . | | | | the store," or "They were having fun," or "All of |
| 3. Be sure to use a large enough font that it will be | | | | them were running as fast as they could," or "were |
| easy for students to read when the slides are | | | | happy," "were friendly," etc. |
| projected for the whole class. By using a large font, | | | | 8. Every so often, change the order of the words by |
| you can also have small groups of students gathered | | | | opening your PowerPoint® viewer to 'Slide Sorter' |
| around a laptop or desktop that is displaying the | | | | view and moving a few of them around. Again, you |
| PowerPoint® rather than having to use an | | | | want students actually learning the words, not just |
| LCD-type projector. | | | | memorizing the order they were in. |
| 4. Although you can include clipart, generally, I | | | | Try using these ideas as an alternative to using |
| recommend against doing so. Especially for the first | | | | flashcards. I think you'll find it fun and the students |
| 200 or so high-frequency words, there are no visual | | | | will enjoy the novelty. If you prefer to access |
| referents for them (e.g., the, is, all) and you'll spend | | | | various PowerPoint® slide shows, which I have |
| an inordinate amount of time hunting for pictures that | | | | already created with the 220 Dolch words and the |
| won't really help. In addition, keep in mind that you | | | | 1000 high-frequency words, you are welcome to do |
| are working on 'sight' words that you eventually | | | | so by going to my website (and it's a free |
| want students to recognize with or without any | | | | download). |
| additional prompting (other than sometimes, context). | | | | |