Teaching Sight Words

Before you begin……​It is important to ensure the child has the prior knowledge required
to be successful. The child needs to be able to recognize, name, and know the sounds of
all lower-case letters.

What are Sight Words?

Sight words are frequently used words

and words that don’t follow the regular
rules of spelling, which makes decoding
difficult. We teach sight words to
facilitate reading fluency and reading
comprehension. These words need to be
memorized as a whole word so learners
can read them automatically. The idea is
the student will recognize the words
which makes reading easier. Commonly
there are two known lists of sight words
Dolch sight words and Fry sight words.
 Strategies to teach Sight words…​.
There are many ways to teach sight words with games, songs, reading, word walls,
flash cards and singing. Here are 5 specific strategies to use on their own or to
incorporate into the methods mentioned above.

All strategies here are repeated many times with the teacher going first and then
the student following them
See & Say Spell & Read Arm Tap Air Writing Table Write
Say the word while Say the word, spell Pat the left Say the word, write Students write the
underlining as you the word, then say shoulder when the letters in the air word on a surface
say it it again saying the word, as you say them, (word visible)
tap down the arm say the word again spelling it out,
as the word is underlining and
spelled, then slide saying when
the hands down finished. Then
the arm when again without the
saying the word word in front of
again. them. ( no teacher
role in this one)

https://sightwords. https://sightwords. https://sightwords. https://sightwords. https://sightwords.

com/sight-words/le com/sight-words/le com/sight-words/le com/sight-words/le com/sight-words/le
ssons/see-say/ ssons/spell-readin ssons/arm-tapping/ ssons/air-writing/ ssons/table-writing
g/ /
 What if they say it wrong or don’t recall the word……

There is no need to highlight the mistake, instead we use a corrective technique that
emphasizes the correct word. This script uses many opportunities to say the word
correctly.

Adult: That word is SHOULD. What word?

Child:​ SHOULD.
Adult: Again. What word?
Child:​ SHOULD.
Adult: Yes, SHOULD!
We SHOULD brush our teeth before bed.
What word?
Child:​ SHOULD.

Things to remember…..

● Sight words and high frequency words are not the same thing.
● Practice sight words in isolation (ex: flashcards) and in context (ex: sight word 
sentences).
● Know that each student will learn at their own pace.
● Mastery = the student can read the sight word immediately.
● Teach no more than 10 sight words at a time.

Online Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQiPcwfgGEc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRHpwuf56VQ
 References
5 Common Misconceptions about Teaching Sight Words (and How to Avoid Them). (2020). Retrieved
8 May 2020, from https://www.ateachableteacher.com/teaching-sight-words-misconceptions/
Sight Words: Teach Your Child to Read. (2020). Retrieved 7 May 2020, from https://sightwords.com/
Teach For Life. (2017). ​Ideas for Teaching Sight Words​ [Video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQiPcwfgGEc