Focus on practicing a few new words at a time, and reviewing previously learned words that could use more practice.  

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Keep track of words your child already knows, and words they are just learning using a sight word list.

When your child knows the names of the letters, but hasn't learned their letter sounds yet, you can teach some heart words that will help them read and write decodable sentences when phonics instruction begins. 

Try alternating between these strategies: 1. Have your child find the word in a list or row of other words, (2) find the word in a book, (3) read the word from a card, and (4) spell the word.

Check out this list of 10 words or use these words: the, a, I, to, and, was, for, you, is, of.

Write the irregular heart word on paper. Have your child highlight the part of the word that is “tricky" (the part that doesn't follow the usual phonics rules. For example, for the word "said", they would highlight the "ai".  Review what sound the tricky part does make, and have your child read each sound in the word, then read the whole word.   

Choose a set of irregularly spelled high-frequency words to
practice with and write them where your child can see them. Give your child a piece of paper or a white board divided into 3 columns. Read each word aloud for your child, or have them read the words with you. 
Column 1: Have your child write the word to be dissected.  
Column 2: Have them say the individual sounds in the word, then write the letters that spell that sound. Have your child draw a heart below the tricky part of the word (the part they have to learn by heart).
Column 3: Have your child write the tricky part again in the final box for the row.

Click here for more information and a printable activity

Create two sets of word cards and play a game of “Memory.” Lay the cards face down on the floor or the table. Take turns trying to match identical words. The person with the most pairs wins.

Look at magazines, newspapers, cereal boxes, etc. and highlight and read the high-frequency words.

Post sight words or letters on the walls or floor, or around the room.  Give students a flashlight and have them hunt for words. As they shine their light on the words, ask them to read them.

Set up a waste-paper basket 3 or 4 feet from a table. On scrap paper, write the high-frequency words you are practicing. Have the student say the word and if correct crumple the paper and toss it for a basket. 

Introduce similar irregular words together. For example when you teach the word  ‘any’, you could draw your child's attention to the tricky part ( the a makes the sound of short e instead of a). Then you can teach the irregular word ‘many", and point out that the tricky part is the same in both words. 

Other examples: could, would, and should
where, there
some, come