Before you have your students do the following activities, first find ways to make your word wall more enjoyable for them by adding American Sign Language signs.
For suggestions and information on how to do that, please visit the first part of this article entitled: "Using Sign Language Signs to Make Your Word Wall Interactive and Fun".
Here are some fun and interactive ideas: Matching or Concentration - Have your students match each sight word with its corresponding sign.
You can also try a game of concentration.
Flip all of the cards over and have your students try to find the matching pairs.
Find It - Students will work in pairs for this activity.
One student shows the photo of the sign for a word and the other finds that word written.
You could also have one student say the word aloud and the other student find the sign photo or make the sign themselves.
Signing Sentences - Have your students write sentences only using the words featured on the word wall.
Once their sentence is completed, have them practice saying and signing the sentence together.
Once they are confident, they can share what they created to each other in pairs or in front of the class.
Signing Songs - Make up a song using one of the words on your word wall.
Teach it to your students and sing and sign it as a class group activity.
"Goodnight Ladies" is a tune that has been useful to me.
This example allows students to find the word in the song as well: "Let's find 'see', Let's find 'see', Let's find 'see', I think I 'see' it now.
" First sign "see" and then allow them to find the word "see" written on the word wall.
Sign and Spell - If you would like your students to learn the American Sign Language manual alphabet, teach them the finger spelling of each word on your word wall and then word sign.
For example, with the word see, students can say and sign "S" "E" "E", See.
Fill in the Blanks - Leave blank spaces in place of words in a pocket chart, morning message or sentence strips.
Students can choose what word is missing and find it on the word wall.
Then have them say it and sign the complete sentence to make sure they are correct.
Students can also see if there are any other words on the word wall that could fit in the sentence and make sense.
Singing Stories - There are many children's books that feature sight words.
Choose a book and teach them the sign for the word that repeats throughout the story.
Every time that word appears in the text, say and sign that word.
For suggestions and information on how to do that, please visit the first part of this article entitled: "Using Sign Language Signs to Make Your Word Wall Interactive and Fun".
Here are some fun and interactive ideas: Matching or Concentration - Have your students match each sight word with its corresponding sign.
You can also try a game of concentration.
Flip all of the cards over and have your students try to find the matching pairs.
Find It - Students will work in pairs for this activity.
One student shows the photo of the sign for a word and the other finds that word written.
You could also have one student say the word aloud and the other student find the sign photo or make the sign themselves.
Signing Sentences - Have your students write sentences only using the words featured on the word wall.
Once their sentence is completed, have them practice saying and signing the sentence together.
Once they are confident, they can share what they created to each other in pairs or in front of the class.
Signing Songs - Make up a song using one of the words on your word wall.
Teach it to your students and sing and sign it as a class group activity.
"Goodnight Ladies" is a tune that has been useful to me.
This example allows students to find the word in the song as well: "Let's find 'see', Let's find 'see', Let's find 'see', I think I 'see' it now.
" First sign "see" and then allow them to find the word "see" written on the word wall.
Sign and Spell - If you would like your students to learn the American Sign Language manual alphabet, teach them the finger spelling of each word on your word wall and then word sign.
For example, with the word see, students can say and sign "S" "E" "E", See.
Fill in the Blanks - Leave blank spaces in place of words in a pocket chart, morning message or sentence strips.
Students can choose what word is missing and find it on the word wall.
Then have them say it and sign the complete sentence to make sure they are correct.
Students can also see if there are any other words on the word wall that could fit in the sentence and make sense.
Singing Stories - There are many children's books that feature sight words.
Choose a book and teach them the sign for the word that repeats throughout the story.
Every time that word appears in the text, say and sign that word.
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