Bored of simply using flashcards or reading from lists to practise standalone words? Try this fun, engaging sliding word card activity that can be used for an infinite amount of graphemes and spelling patterns. The best part is, the children can use it themselves too!
Materials Needed for Creating your Sliding Word Cards
Thick felt pens or marker pens
Coloured card (at least 2 contrasting colours)
How to Make your Sliding Word Cards
- Fold a piece of card into 3 equal parts.
- Cut a different colour piece of card to fit inside the folded card.
- Cut out rectangles for the letters that will be changing.
- Write on the folded card, write the letters you wish to remain the same.
- On the card inside, write your needed letters or letter, slide the card along until the letter is gone and write the next letter. Repeat until the card is full.
- You’re ready to get reading!
PLEASE NOTE: Think carefully about your letter combinations. Below are a few suggestions of letter combinations you could use.
Remember, your child will be learning made-up. nonsense or monster words at school to help them be fully secure on the sounds the letters make, so silly words are not a problem.
[one_half_first]
[/one_half_first][one_half_last]
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Using the Sliding Word Cards with Your Child
We recommend matching the letters your child is learning in their reading programme. Your child should read each the letter sound (phoneme) out loud in order and attempt to blend the letters together. This can take some children longer than others to develop, but simply sounding out the letters is also excellent and important practise.
[one_half_first]
[/one_half_first][one_half_last]
[/one_half_last]
Once your child has read their word, slide the inside card along to reveal a new word.
[one_half_first]
[/one_half_first][one_half_last]
[/one_half_last]
What words can I create?
For ideas on the words you can create with the letters we’ve learned so far, please look at our word lists.
Other ideas
* Trace your finger around the letters in the way that the letter would be formed when writing correctly.
* Use this to support writing certain spelling patterns to help make it clear that certain letters do not change.
* Add sound buttons under the sounds to help your child make links like they might at school.
* Play a speed challenge. As your child becomes more confident, speed it up. Mix up the order that you slide the inside card so they are not simply learning the word order rather than carefully reading.