Sight words - ignore? Or get an app/intensively train? Or try and teach phonetically?

[drspouse]

DS is 5 and in YR. There seem to be altogether too many sight words in his homework. I have a load for homework this week that he's supposed to be able to spell (he can barely write!).
They line them up he-she-we-me and include things like "you" when I'm pretty sure he's actually done "ou", "her" when he's definitely done "er".
So should I:
Get him an app (he is currently learning his digraphs with Hairy Phonics and they have a Tricky Words app) and tear both our hair out doing intensive training?
Ignore them and tell him the words when they come up?
Try and teach the ones he can sound out (maybe with a few extra phonemes like "e" making "ee" and ignore the rest/just tell him?

He is in Reception and, i think, the worst thing that can happen is for him to turn off learning.

So - i'd see what he wants to do. Ask him how to help him.
Dds at that age oscillated between insisting that they MUST do all homework and NOT wanting to do any.
If he wants to memorise some, or all - try practicing - read the words for him, copy, cover, try.
If he doesn't want to memorise them - ask which ones he can read.
Or - leave it alltogether if it stressing him.

There is no rush at this age. He will learn to read/write!!!!

I wouldn't do any homework in reception beyond reading personally. Get him the sound out the bits he knows and point out the bits he doesn't yet (in these words e makes ee, ou makes oo etc).

He's pretty good at phonics, overall. I think we'll make this kind of homework optional, teacher won't be pleased but never mind!

"So should I:
^Get him an app (he is currently learning his digraphs with Hairy Phonics and they have a Tricky Words app) and tear both our hair out doing intensive training?
Ignore them and tell him the words when they come up?
Try and teach the ones he can sound out (maybe with a few extra phonemes like "e" making "ee" and ignore the rest/just tell him?^"

Teach him to decode and encode the words - simply tell him in he, me, she, we, be the sound /ee/ is spelt e then get him to read the words. It doesn't matter that he hasn't been taught the sound/spelling yet introduce it when it's needed. Even Letters and Sounds describes this method for HFW .. they are not meant to be taught as wholes.

Thanks mrz, that is kind of my instinct!
While I'm here - any tips for plural/3rd singular s?

He just gets confused why "sings" doesn't make a word (because it should be singz)

I never did 'sight words' homework and I work in a primary school because I don't approve of homework in the foundation phase apart from reading together every evening or at least as much as possible. The worst thing in the world is to put children off reading and I really think it does in some cases (for parents too)

The spelling s can be the sound /s/ but it can be the sound /z/ (and /sh/ /zh/ sugar treasure) I'm sure he already knows is, has, his, as (was)

He's quite literal and I don't think he knows was, and he struggles with his (he'd sound it out as hiss). I think he does know is.

When he sounds it out as hiss does he correct to hiz?

Not always. He can now correct "of" instead of saying "off", but I would have to remind him about "his" - I'm guessing it appears less often.

For general plurals I do 'cover up the s' it's much easier for children to add the s on after souding and blending the rest of the word.

Souding? You might want to check your sounds there, mistoffeles

Often it is a case of reminding him to begin with "yes that can / s/ but can you remember what other sound it can be?" If he can great but if not "it's the same sound as in is" (or another word he already knows)

Ooh dear!

Aaargh well now he's going through reading refusal. I've been trying really hard to get him to read every morning (we are usually too late to try in the evening as he goes to after school club some days) but we've had so much resistance he's actually been late to school one or two times.
This morning as it is DD's birthday I'm guessing he felt the attention had focussed off him for a second!