Creative Ways to Use Word/ Flash Cards

Activities Key Skills and Learning

1 PairsPrint out two copies of the cards, lay them face down and take it in turns to turn over two cards at a time to find pairs. If a child is able to match two cards to create a pair they keep them. When all of the cards have been used, each child counts how many pairs of cards they have, the person with the most pairs is the winner. This can also be a one player game with a child matching the pairs.

Visual Memory and ConcentrationDevelop children’s visual memory and concentration skills as they watch and try to remember where each card is.

2 Kim's Game

Stick the flashcards onto the whiteboard, explain that the children will have 1 minute to look at and remember all of the flashcards. Ensure the children are silent during the minute. When 1 minute has passed tell the children to stop and remove the cards. Once all of the cards have been removed ask the children to work with a partner and write down all of the cards they can remember on a whiteboard. Check the answers.

Visual Memory and Concentration Practise using visual memory to recall words and the letter order of words more accurately.

3 Treasure Hunt Write a set of clues e.g. a short riddle. Hide the word cards around the classroom. The children must try to solve the clues and then search for the hidden word cards.

Letter and Word Recognition and Problem Solving Develop children’s reading and problem solving skills in solving clues.

4 Alphabetical Order Order the cards into alphabetical order.

Naming the Letters of the Alphabet in Order Develop knowledge of alphabetical order.

5 DefinitionsDisplay each of the cards, children find the word in a dictionary and write its definition.

Word Meanings Discussing word meanings, linking new

meanings to those already known.

Click me. I'm a link!10

Activities Key Skills and Learning

6ClassificationDisplay the word cards. Children read the words on the cards and sort them into groups depending on their features.

ClassificationSorting and classifying.

7 What Am I?

Children work with a partner. Put the cards into a pile and place them face down. Each child picks up a card from the pile and does not let their partner see which card they have chosen. Next they take it in turns to ask each other questions to try and guess which card their partner has chosen.

QuestionsAsk relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge.

Vocabulary Use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary.

8MatchingIf using cards which have a picture and word, cut the cards in half, and layout the pictures in one pile and the words in another. Children read the words on each card and match them to the correct picture. .

VocabularyUse relevant strategies to build their vocabulary.

Letter and Word RecognitionContinue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.

9 Roll the DiceChoose six cards and stick them on to the whiteboard. Give each card a number from 1-6, writing the numbers above the cards. Divide the class into two teams. Give one child a big dice to roll. The whole class watches to see which number the dice lands on. The first child to read the name on the card with the same number as the dice wins a point for their team. If nobody is able to read the word on the card, introduce it and ask the children to repeat it. Play until one team reaches a set amount of points. If it becomes easy, begin replacing the cards on the board with new cards.

Letter and Word RecognitionContinue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words untilautomatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.

10Fastest FingerStick the flashcards on the board. Choose two children to go to the board facing the flashcards. The teacher says the words (from the flashcards) and the two children must touch the correct flashcard as fast as they can. The winner is the child who touches more flashcards first.

Letter and Word Recognition Continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.