| Most of us tend to think of bingo as a game played | | | | word list). In sight word bingo, the teacher reads out a |
| mainly by older people, but today variants of the game | | | | word, students then look for that word on their bingo |
| can also be found in many schools and even | | | | card. |
| kindergartens. The difference is that whereas the | | | | 3. Phonemic Awareness Bingo - This version of bingo |
| version of bingo played by seniors is principally enjoyed | | | | may be too hard for the youngest children, but is a |
| as a leisure activity, the version played in schools and | | | | logical next step after sight word bingo. In this case, we |
| kindergartens is played as a learning game, and is | | | | go back to use bingo cards with letters, but the |
| particularly used for teaching the alphabet, phonemes, | | | | teacher reads out words, and the student's task is to |
| and reading in general. | | | | recognize the sound of the first letter and find the |
| There are a number of different versions of bingo that | | | | corresponding letter-square on their bingo cards. |
| can be played in introductory reading classes, including: | | | | Of course, all these versions of bingo can be both fun |
| 1. Letter bingo - The most basic version of the game, | | | | and educational. however in order to play them, you will |
| one that students will quickly progress through is to | | | | need to have a set of bingo cards containing the |
| play bingo using bingo cards printed with letters. The | | | | particular items that you want for the lesson. It is |
| teacher acts as bingo caller, and either says the letter | | | | possible to buy preprinted educational bingo cards, but |
| name or gives the sound of the letter, and students | | | | this can get expensive if done a regular basis, and in |
| must find the matching square on their bingo cards. | | | | any case, the cards may not contain the exact items |
| 2. Sight Word Bingo - This is perhaps the main version | | | | that the teacher wants for a particular lesson. The |
| of bingo suitable for younger kids. In this case, the | | | | other way to get a suitable set of bingo cards is |
| bingo cards are printed with words, most often sight | | | | simply to print them using a PC and some bingo card |
| words (these are common words that kids must learn | | | | creator software - this is not only economical, but can |
| to recognize as they can not easily be sounded out - | | | | be surprisingly quick and easy. |
| teachers have lists of these, such as the Dolch sight | | | | |