The Average Words Per Minute Reading Speed
Sight words are words that a reader automatically recognizes without having to use picture clues or sound them out. These words include very common words, such as “the” and “you,” and “make up 60 to 70 percent of most reading tasks,” according to Sandra Fleming, a teacher and writer for the literacy-promoting website, All Info About Reading. After learning these words, a reader should be able to read almost any basic reading material.
The Function of Sight Words
Sight words can be used to teach children how to read. This method of teaching reading is known as the whole language approach. Visual learners especially benefit from learning sight words, according to Sharon Cromwell in the Education World article, “Whole Language and Phonics: Can They Work Together?” Phonics involve sounding out words, and many of the words in the sight word lists cannot be sounded out. The whole language approach encourages children to learn words by recognition without using any sort of phonics method.
The Importance of Sight Words
The importance of sight words starts at the beginning of elementary school because these words form the core words of most elementary school reading materials. If a student can master sight words at an early age, he will be able to read the majority of readings he is given in the first years of elementary school. Fleming recommends in her All Info About Reading article, “The Importance of Sight Words,” that parents and teachers should “monitor sight word mastery carefully in early elementary school to be sure that this important skill is being learned.”
Sight Words Lists
According to Fleming, the most popular sight word list is the Dolch Word List, compiled by Edward William Dolch, Ph.D., and published in 1948. Not only used to teach English-speaking children how to read, this list of 220 words is in wider use in many English as a Second Language courses. Another popular sight word list is Fry’s Instant Words list, compiled by Edward B. Fry, Jacqueline E. Kress and Dona Lee Fountoukidis and published in 1993. This list consists of the 1,000 most common words in the English language.
Sight Word Activities
The website for the Dolch Word List, DolchSightWords.org, offers activities, including the games “Bingo” and “Hangman” and flashcards of sight words. Parents and teachers can also find sight word activities on teacher websites, such as the msrossbec.com website from Cresco, Pennsylvania. The website provides sight word lists by grade level, flashcards and links to other sight word resources.
The Benefits of Using Sight Words
If students master learning sight words in their elementary years, they will be less likely to have reading problems later in life. As Fleming states, it is a “vital skill” that needs to be learned in elementary school. However, if older students learning English have problems reading, they can get help from sight word tutoring because “a competent literacy tutor will check this area carefully and reteach these words as needed to build confidence and reading efficiency.”
The Difference Between Sight Words and Phonics
When learning to read, kids are exposed to two different kinds of words: decodable words and non-decodable words. Educators define sight words as non-decodable words because they cannot be decoded by sounding them out or applying the rules of phonics. Phonics, on the other hand, refers to the process of decoding words by correlating letters to the sounds they make. Students can use phonics to sound out unfamiliar words. Mastering both the recognition of sight words and the decoding of unfamiliar words through phonics can help kids become highly effective readers.
Helping children unlock their ability to read is probably one of my favourite things about teaching. Reading is a complex process that requires the use of many different strategies and skills. Being able to recognise sight words is an important skill for an emerging reader.
Why are sight words important?
Funnily enough, as the name suggests, the goal of sight words is for your child to recognise these words on sight. Many sight words don’t follow basic phonic principles so they can’t be sounded out. Knowing a selection of words on sight means that beginning readers do not need to decode every. single. word. Decoding every single word affects the fluency of reading and fluency is key to comprehending what is being read. Being able to recognise words on sight also promotes reader confidence.
How can you help your child to learn their sight words without it feeling like rote learning? Here are 15 fun and playful activities for sight word practice.
Learning Sight Words With Manipulatives
I Spy Bottle
This is a fabulously portable activity that is super simple to make. Fill a dried-out water bottle with rice and sparkles. Write sight words onto small pieces of card and insert into the bottle. Kids have to shake the bottle up to uncover different words. A great activity to keep in the car so that your children can practice their sight words en route to swimming lessons, piano lessons, etc.
Duplo
Write letters on the side of Duplo pieces. Children can connect the pieces to create words. A great way to highlight letter formation as well. Make sure to use long pieces for the “tall” letters (like k, l, t) and the letters with ‘tails’ (like y, g, and p.) Use the smaller pieces for letters that only have a “body” (like a, e, c, o.)
Magnets
Magnets are always a favourite in the classroom. When teamed with a whiteboard, this is a great way for children to practice “read it, build it, write it.”
Children read the word aloud. They build it with magnets and then write it. This would be a great activity to organise on the fridge door. Your little reader can practice whilst you get on with organising dinner.
Learning Sight Words Through Sensory Play
Playdough
An oldie but a goldie. Get your reader to trace their sight words into the playdough, using a finger or a paddle pop stick.
They could also roll the playdough into logs and form the letters of the sight words. Lots of fine motor development happening at the same time!
Here’s a super simple recipe if you need to stock up on playdough.
Paint in a Bag
Squirt some poster paint into a sandwich bag. Seal the bag and cover with duct tape to ensure it is sealed tightly. Give your reader a cotton bud and let them trace their words into the paint. Watch the words disappear!
Shaving Cream
Cover a baking tray in shaving cream and let your child use their “finger pencils” to write their sight words.
Paint with Water
A no-mess activity. Equip your child with a container of water and a paintbrush. Let them “paint” their words on the exterior of the house, on the driveway, on the fence… This is also a great activity for bath time if the clock has beaten you and you didn’t manage to fit in sight word practice in the afternoon madness.
Learning Sight Words Through Movement
Chalk and Trampoline
Get your reader to write their sight words in chalk on the trampoline. They have to jump on the word that you call out. A great way to get kids to use up their energy whilst completing their homework.
AUSLAN
Visit the AUSLAN Signbank and get your children to spell their sight words using finger spelling.
Twister
Have your child write their sight words on index cards or scraps of paper. Lay them out on the floor and play Twister. “Put your left hand on the word ‘from.’” You could also play this with chalk on the driveway.
Learning Sight Words With Games
BANG!
One of the most popular sight words games I’ve used in a classroom. Children choose a card from a pile of sight words. If they can read the word, they keep the card. Interspersed through the pile are some BANG! cards. If you draw a BANG! card, you have to put all your cards back into the central pile. The person at the end of the game with the most cards, wins. I first saw this ideas over at K3 Teacher Resources.
Fishing
Cut out some fish shapes. Write sight words on the fish and place a paper clip on each fish. Create a “fishing rod” with a ruler, string and a magnet and kids can “fish” out the sight words they recognise or the words that you specify.
Memory
Another oldie but a goldie. Write sight words twice onto pieces of card. Turn all cards word-side down. Readers have to find matching sight words.
Bingo
Create a bingo card with a list of sight words. As you call out a word, your reader has to locate it and cover it on their game board. (This is a fun one to rope all family members into!)
Sight Word Sticks
Write all sight words on some craft sticks or paddle pop sticks. Place them in a jar and your little one has to pull out a stick and read the word. To add another level of fun, set a timer. See how long it takes for your reader to read all the sight words. See if they can beat their record each time.
The key to learning sight words is to practise, practise, prastice. And then repeat. And repeat again. Feel free to vary your prompts. You don’t need to be continually asking “Where is the word ‘the?’ Where is the word ‘from?’You can help your child identify the patterns in words and the way words work by asking things like,
“Find me a word ending with -ey.”
“Where is a word starting with the sound th-.”
“Find me a three letter word beginning with b-.”
The key is to have fun!
See it in Action
What sight word activities do your kids enjoy doing at home?
More literacy ideas for kids:
Looking for some simple ways on how to teach sight words? These simple tips will help!
Teaching sight words is an important part of any reading lesson. These are the words that kids will read over and over again, in almost everything they read. Knowing them will help your kids read faster and with more accuracy. They’ll be able to read more fluently and fluidly. It will also make it easier for them to learn new words and write more effectively.
What Are Sight Words?
Sight words are the words your kids will be able to recognize and read just by seeing them. Over time, your kids will be able to instantaneous read them. These words should become automatic.
Sight words, sometimes called high-frequency words or popcorn words, are taught in kindergarten. If your child is starting to read before kindergarten, it’s never too early to start teaching sight words.
Did you know that you can use sight words as a reading tool to help your child learn? In fact, it may be a great way to help them learn how to read even quicker than you thought possible!
Sight words can be a great tool when teaching your child to read. But what are they and how can you use them?
Sight words are words that students easily recognize and are able to read without having to sound out. Fortunately, about a hundred of these sight words are frequently used so it not only makes it easier for kids to learn to read, but it builds their reading confidence.
Once your child feels comfortable with the alphabet, you can start introducing sight words. There are a variety of ways to teach sight words; you may want to try a few or a combination since no two children learn the same.
When it comes to teaching sight words, repetition is key. The more your child sees the word, the easier it will be for them to understand it and recognize it. Here are some great lessons you can use to start teaching sight words.
Teaching Sight Words
Start with a list of sight words so that you know which words you should focus on. Here’s a great list of 300 common sight words to get you started.
Find the Words in Print
You can start teaching sight words while reading your child bedtime stories or during their daily reading lessons by pointing them out in the stories. Seeing the words in print in the text they’re already reading, surrounded by other words, will help them learn the words faster.
First, start with pointing the word out, telling them how to pronounce it, and showing it to them over and over again. Once they start to recognize, stop reading the word for them and let them start reading it. As you read, move your finger along the page and when you get to a sight word, stop and let them read it.
Doing some kind of physical activity with the recognition of the word can help them remember it, like clapping their hands or stomping their feet.
Create a Sight Word Board
Having sight words in view will help your child’s brain take in these words even when they’re not focusing on them. Create a bulletin board with index cards or use a dry erase board to write on. Each time you teach a new sight word, add it to the board.
Occasionally point out a word and ask your child to tell you what it is and use it in a sentence. When you’re reading a story and see a sight word, have your child point it out in both the book and on the board to reinforce the word in their mind.
Use Manipulatives
In order for kids to fully understand the words they learn, they need to see them change and they need to build them or put them back together themselves.
Use magnetic letters or letter tiles to spell out a word then change it. For instance, spell out “can” then remove the “a” and replace it with “e” so that it’s an incorrect word. Have your child point out which letter is wrong and replace it with the correct letter.
You can also mix up the letters and have your child put them back in the correct order.
Doing this over and over will help reinforce these words for your child so that they can not only recognize them but spell them.
The key to teaching sight words is repetition. Teach them using a variety of methods to help reinforce the learning. You can act out action words to make them easier to learn.
Depending on how quickly your child learns the new words, teaching 2-3 new words a week will help them learn at a pace where they can not only learn, but retain the information. As their vocabulary starts to grow and learning sight words becomes easier, they may be able to learn more in a shorter time.
Using Sight Words as a Reading Tool
Here are just a few ways that you can use sight words as a reading tool.
Games
All children love to play games, so why not turn playtime into learning time. Make two sets of flashcards for the sight words you want to teach your child, then play games with the cards. For instance, you can play Go Fish with word cards instead of number cards. You can also play Memory; just shuffle the cards and lay them face down. Your child will pick a card then try to find or remember where they saw the matching card. Word Searches are another great way to help your child start to recognize sight words.
Music
If your child loves to sing, making up spelling songs for sight words will help them interact. Pick a few words you want to teach your child then let them help create a tune and a song to go with the word. By creating the song themselves, they’ll be more engaged with learning.
Word Wall
Create a word wall to help your child visualize the words you want them to learn. Make large flashcards to place on a bulletin board with pins or Velcro to make it easy to move the words around. Also, make a large frame that will fit your flashcards and attaches to your board. You can use the frame to highlight special words you want to work with. Play games with these words and encourage your child to move the flashcards around to create sentences.
Write
Create sentences each day using the sight words you want to teach your child. Read the sentence aloud then have them circle the specific words they are learning. For instance, if the word they’re learning is “my” and you write the sentence “I like my dog” they would need to find the word “my” and circle it. They can then practice working with these words by rewriting the sentences themselves.
As your child starts to learn more and more sight words, their reading ability will increase and their confidence in their ability will become stronger. Creating a habit of learning new sight words every day is the best way to encourage your child to become a better reader.
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Helping your child learn their sight words to build their reading skills is an amazing educational journey to take together. Think of how important the building blocks of reading truly are. Almost everything that we do on a daily basis revolves around reading, right?
As adults, the moment we wake up and make breakfast we are reading recipes or ingredients, when we hop in our car to travel we are reading the road signs and then depending on our day and the jobs that we do, we spend the majority of our time reading as well.
Literally, almost every moment of our day is spent looking and reading words, whether it be on paper or on electronics. The importance of preparing our children to be able to read is evident. Teaching them and helping them to learn sight words is a great way to give them the confidence that they need later in life to succeed. Starting early with learning sight words is important and the sooner the better.
I you are looking for a few ways to help your child learn their sight words, here are 12 ways to help you get started.
1. Create some flashcards to help them learn those sight words fast!
Flashcards are such a great way to help your child learn how to read. They are easy to use, super simple to make, and can be taken anywhere and everywhere to practice easily.
2. Make a homemade puzzle.
You can create the puzzle so the pieces have half a word written on them and they have to find the other half to pair together to create that sight word.
3. Purchase some sight word magnets for your fridge.
Have them practice creating and reading their sight words while you are making breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Who doesn’t love magnets?
4. Use flour for finger writing!
If you are fine with getting a bit messy, pour some flour on the on the kitchen table and have your little one use their fingers to write out the letters and words. Then, let them smear it all up and start over again. They will love being able to play and learn at the same time!
5. Use sidewalk chalk.
Head outside on a sunny day and have fun writing those sight words on your driveway in colorful sidewalk chalk. Anytime that you can tie in learning and fun? It’ll be a win every time.
6. Matching games.
Create a matching game where your little one has to find one sight word, say it, and then match it to the other one. Make a fun game out of learning and those sight words will stick quick!
7. Library time!
Head to the library and check out age-appropriate sight word books that your child can read easily. Start easy with the book choices so that you don’t discourage them!
8. Make play dough.
Make some homemade play dough and practice rolling it out to form some fun letters for your little one. Let them see the letters and connect them together to create a fun and unique way to make sight words.
9. Write some silly songs.
Create a silly song together where they hear the sight words being spelled over and over again. For example: C-A-T, C-A-T, That spells cat, look at me! (Something silly that rhymes that are super easy for them to remember work great!)
10. Play hangman!
Play a fun game of hangman using sight words. Keep it simple and fun, and let your little one take turns as well. Putting those guessed letters in one by one is a great way for them to see the word being built from the beginning to the end!
11. Use apps.
If your child is allowed some screen time, we highly recommend using educational apps. There are a ton of great resources out that there are easy and simple to learn from. Our two favorite reading app is: Letter Tile App from All About Learning Press.
12. Put sight words around the house.
Grab some construction paper and write out the sight words of certain items in your home, and place that paper on top of the item. Each and every time that your child sees that item, they’ll also see that word which will help them learn it quicker.
Teaching your child sight words doesn’t have to be a hard process at all! Think of fun and simple ways that your child likes to learn, and then take the steps to make it happen. You’ll be amazed at how they are able to learn their sight words quickly and easily while having fun at the same time!
About Mike + Carlie Kercheval
Michael & Carlie Kercheval have been blissfully married since June 10, 2000. They are blessed with 3 precious children that they homeschool. They are the co-founders of Learning to Speak Life Books™. In addition to Welcome to the Family Table™, together they founded Christian Marriage Adventure™ in obedience to the ministry God has placed in their hearts to promote biblical marriage.
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Kids with dyslexia can have extra trouble learning sight words . Some of these words don’t follow standard spelling rules, so they’re not decodable . Others appear so often that kids have to recognize them quickly to be fluent readers. These tips can make learning sight words easier.
1. Go into detail.
Kids with reading difficulties may need help noticing all the details in a new word—especially if the word has an unusual spelling. Take the word through, for example.
Teach your child by first showing the word and then reading it out loud. Next, ask your child to say the letters in the word. Ask what vowels your child sees. What letters are at the beginning, middle, and end of the word? This helps kids analyze the word and process it in detail.
2. Create a memory aid.
Sometimes kids can find a trick to help them remember troublesome words. These memory aids are called mnemonics. Kids might come up with a rhyme that includes the word, or something they associate with that word.
They can also try making up a phrase that spells out the word. Let’s say your child is struggling to remember they. Your child might come up with the mnemonic, “They Eat Yams.”
3. Add artistic flair.
For some kids, remembering a sight word is easier if they connect it to a picture. Here’s one way to do it:
Write a practice word on two sides of an index card. On one side, you or your child can draw a picture right into the word (like drawing eyes inside the double o in the word look.) Introduce the practice words using the illustrated side of the cards. When your child begins to read these words quickly and easily, switch to the “print only” side of the card.
4. Use different senses.
Research shows that kids with dyslexia learn best when they engage many senses. You can activate kids’ sense of touch by having them trace letters on lists of sight words with their finger. Or cut the letters out of sandpaper and have them trace the scratchy surface while saying the letter names and then the word.
Get kids moving by having them “write” the word in the air with their pointer and middle fingers as they say it out loud. Younger kids might like writing the words in sand or in shaving cream.
5. Take a mental picture.
Tell your child to get a good look at a word on a card, and try to “take a picture of it” and keep it in mind. Then take the card away.
Ask what letters your child sees in her mind. What letters are first, second, and last, or what vowel(s) are in the word? Practicing visualizing can help kids remember, read, and spell new words.
6. Grab a pencil.
Once kids have practiced reading and air-writing target sight words, they can try spelling them on paper. Have your child copy them from a flashcard or word list first. Then your child can try writing it out without looking.
You can also have your child write the word a few times on a chalkboard while saying the letters and then the word. Or write the word on paper a few times each day. Your child should practice the target words until able to consistently spell them without looking.
7. Explore word history.
There’s usually a reason behind the spelling of words we can’t sound out. Did you know there’s a rule that English words can’t end in v? That’s why words like give and have are spelled with a silent e. Or take the word knife. It comes from the Old Norse word knifr and the k used to be pronounced.
Checking out a word’s history can teach kids why it’s spelled so strangely. It can also help them learn word meanings. And boosting word knowledge can help kids recognize sight words more quickly.
8. Make a word wall.
Create a space to display the words your child has mastered. You can use butcher paper your child decorates and then hang it up where your child can see it. Then your child can refer to it for assignments and spelling practice.
You can write the words directly on the paper or have your child tape flashcards to it. This is a great way to show kids how their word knowledge is growing—which can boost self-esteem, too.
9. Do a word search.
Have your child pick out the words the class is practicing at school in books you have at home. (Make sure the books are at your child’s reading level.)
This helps kids build awareness of how often these words are used. It also helps them be on the lookout for these words in daily reading. After your child picks out sight words, read the book together. Be sure to give positive feedback when your child reads target words correctly.
10. Tag-team with the school.
Connect with the classroom teacher to keep up with the current sight word list. When you and the school work as a team, your child will get a double dose of practice—something struggling readers need. It also helps kids stay focused on a single set of words at a time, which can build confidence and increase chances for success.
11. Make time for fun and games.
Sight-word practice can actually be fun. Try changing things up by playing word-matching games like concentration. Go fish, tic-tac-toe, hangman, and bingo also work well. It’s easy to make game materials on your own, and Pinterest is a great source for new game ideas. There are also lots of learning games and apps that let kids practice sight words.
12. Keep it manageable.
Introduce one word at a time every day or two until you have about 10 new words to practice at a time. Add one new word for each word your child masters. This helps keep learning goals manageable. It also makes it more likely for kids to improve and feel good about sight words. And that can give them the motivation to keep practicing.
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About the Author
About the Author
Kelli Johnson, MA is an educational speech-language pathologist, working with students from early childhood through 12th grade.
Reviewed by
Reviewed by
Robin Margent an Orton–Gillingham Dyslexia Specialist, is a private tutor and a retired reading intervention teacher.
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Share 12 Tips to Help Kids With Dyslexia Learn Sight Words
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Share 12 Tips to Help Kids With Dyslexia Learn Sight Words
Are you looking for ways to improve your child’s spelling and confidence in spelling new words? We did some research and found the five most effective ways to learn to spell are:
1. Stair steps
Write the words as if they are stairs, adding one letter at a time.
2. Flash cards
Using index cards, write the words your child is practicing on the front of the card and its definition on the back. Then your child can independently go through the cards by looking at the definition, saying the word out loud and spell it out loud. You can also help test them by reading them the definition and have them say the word out loud and spell it for you out loud. Alternatively, you can use pen and paper and have them write the words.
There are lots of sites that also offer spelling flash cards if you’re not sure where to start, including this set of flash cards that we created.
3. Trace, Copy, Recall
Fold three columns on a piece of paper, and label one column ‘trace’, the next ‘copy’ and the last ‘recall’. Write the word in the first column, and have your child trace the letters. Next have him copy the word by looking at what he’s just written. Finally, have him fold (and hide) the first two columns and recall the spelling on his own as he writes the word independently.
4. Memorization
Memorizing spelling words is a traditional method that you can teach your child. Show your child the word written on paper. Then explain to her how to visualize a word in her mind. Then have her closer her eyes and picture the word, letter by letter, in her mind. Ask her to spell the word out loud, then open her eyes to check if she was correct. Repeat for the next word.
This method is called visual memorization and has proven one of the most effective ways to learn to spell.
5. Spelling train
Read a word aloud and have your child write it down. Using the last letter in that word, ask them to write another word beginning with that last letter. They can continue the ‘spelling train’ using the last letter of the word. For example:
You can also try out K5 Spelling as part of a 14-day free trial of K5 Learning’s math and reading programs. K5 Spelling is an adaptive test-study approach with automatic word generation that continually tracks each student’s progress, having them repeat misspelled words until they get them right.
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Wondering how to teach sight words? Today’s post is for you!
This post contains affiliate links.
In the past few weeks I’ve received a number of emails from readers asking me how to teach sight words.
Recently I found an excellent procedure in the (amazing) book, The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading. Jan Richardson suggests a simple process for teaching sight words.
I’ve adapted it just a bit to use with my Five, who has rapidly added new sight words to his reading toolbox in the last few weeks. This method will work well in one-on-one or small group teaching.
I recommend the following supplies:
- A dry erase board for each student (magnetic would be nice, but ours isn’t)
- A dry erase marker for each student (we like these low odor markers)
- Magnetic lowercase letters – this classroom set is worth every penny, for school or home
- A blank index card
How to teach sight words
STEP 1: Write the word in full view of your learners. I like to use a small dry erase board.
STEP 2: Use an index card to cover up the word. Then reveal it one letter at a time. Have your learner name each letter as it is uncovered.
STEP 3: Write the word with a dry erase marker. Invite your learner to name the missing letter or fill it in with a magnetic letter (we LOVE this set!). Erase and repeat several times with different letters missing.
STEP 4: Give your learner the letters he needs to make the word. Then have him unscramble the letters to form the word. Have him mix up the letters and make the word once or twice more.
STEP 5: After he’s formed the word, have your learner name each letter, pushing them up one at a time.
STEP 6: Have your learner “finger write” the word while looking at it.
STEP 7: Cover the word with an index card. Then have your learner write it with a dry erase marker. He can take a peek at the word if he’s stuck on a letter.
STEP 8: Review on subsequent days as needed. We usually review the word in this way:
- I write it, and my Five reads it.
- My Five makes the word with magnetic letters.
- We review previously learned words on flash cards or with a game, such as Sight Word Memory.
Questions you may have
1. Should I follow this exact procedure every time?
No – just do what works for your learners. I’ve never done every single step exactly in a row. There’s nothing magical about this; it’s just a suggested sequence of steps.
2. How many sight words should we focus on in one sitting?
Normally I wouldn’t teach more than 2-3 words at a time. However, if you’re working one-on-one and your student is learning the words rapidly without frustration, feel free to add a few more.
3. Why doesn’t this method use flash cards?
I think flash cards can be good for review, but they are not a good method for actually teaching the words. Children needs hands-on learning, and this method offers that.
4. What sight words should I teach?
Google “Dolch words” and consider starting with the Preprimer list and working your way up. Don’t teach the list in alphabetical order. Instead, start with the words that are easy to sound out, such as “am.” You might also like this sight word list from This Reading Mama.
If you are supplementing the learning your child is doing in school, ask his or her teacher for a list of sight words to learn.
5. What about worksheets?
I use very few worksheets with my learners because I have not found them to be as effective as manipulatives and games. However, if your learners enjoy them, feel free to grab my free sight word worksheets below. Just remember that worksheets don’t teach; they assess. Use them for review and reinforcement after you’ve taught the words in a hands-on way.
YOU’LL LOVE OUR EDITABLE SIGHT WORD GAMES
Editable Seasonal Sight Word Game – MEGA PACK!
Your students will ASK to practice their sight words when you start using this versatile set of sight word games! Simply type up to 12 words, and they’ll autofill into the 150 seasonal games.
Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade
Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You’ll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources . all free!
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Wondering how to teach sight words? Today’s post is for you!
This post contains affiliate links.
In the past few weeks I’ve received a number of emails from readers asking me how to teach sight words.
Recently I found an excellent procedure in the (amazing) book, The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading. Jan Richardson suggests a simple process for teaching sight words.
I’ve adapted it just a bit to use with my Five, who has rapidly added new sight words to his reading toolbox in the last few weeks. This method will work well in one-on-one or small group teaching.
I recommend the following supplies:
- A dry erase board for each student (magnetic would be nice, but ours isn’t)
- A dry erase marker for each student (we like these low odor markers)
- Magnetic lowercase letters – this classroom set is worth every penny, for school or home
- A blank index card
How to teach sight words
STEP 1: Write the word in full view of your learners. I like to use a small dry erase board.
STEP 2: Use an index card to cover up the word. Then reveal it one letter at a time. Have your learner name each letter as it is uncovered.
STEP 3: Write the word with a dry erase marker. Invite your learner to name the missing letter or fill it in with a magnetic letter (we LOVE this set!). Erase and repeat several times with different letters missing.
STEP 4: Give your learner the letters he needs to make the word. Then have him unscramble the letters to form the word. Have him mix up the letters and make the word once or twice more.
STEP 5: After he’s formed the word, have your learner name each letter, pushing them up one at a time.
STEP 6: Have your learner “finger write” the word while looking at it.
STEP 7: Cover the word with an index card. Then have your learner write it with a dry erase marker. He can take a peek at the word if he’s stuck on a letter.
STEP 8: Review on subsequent days as needed. We usually review the word in this way:
- I write it, and my Five reads it.
- My Five makes the word with magnetic letters.
- We review previously learned words on flash cards or with a game, such as Sight Word Memory.
Questions you may have
1. Should I follow this exact procedure every time?
No – just do what works for your learners. I’ve never done every single step exactly in a row. There’s nothing magical about this; it’s just a suggested sequence of steps.
2. How many sight words should we focus on in one sitting?
Normally I wouldn’t teach more than 2-3 words at a time. However, if you’re working one-on-one and your student is learning the words rapidly without frustration, feel free to add a few more.
3. Why doesn’t this method use flash cards?
I think flash cards can be good for review, but they are not a good method for actually teaching the words. Children needs hands-on learning, and this method offers that.
4. What sight words should I teach?
Google “Dolch words” and consider starting with the Preprimer list and working your way up. Don’t teach the list in alphabetical order. Instead, start with the words that are easy to sound out, such as “am.” You might also like this sight word list from This Reading Mama.
If you are supplementing the learning your child is doing in school, ask his or her teacher for a list of sight words to learn.
5. What about worksheets?
I use very few worksheets with my learners because I have not found them to be as effective as manipulatives and games. However, if your learners enjoy them, feel free to grab my free sight word worksheets below. Just remember that worksheets don’t teach; they assess. Use them for review and reinforcement after you’ve taught the words in a hands-on way.
YOU’LL LOVE OUR EDITABLE SIGHT WORD GAMES
Editable Seasonal Sight Word Game – MEGA PACK!
Your students will ASK to practice their sight words when you start using this versatile set of sight word games! Simply type up to 12 words, and they’ll autofill into the 150 seasonal games.
Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade
Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You’ll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources . all free!
Super Readers Learn to Read Phonetically – Not by Memorizing Sight Words (part 3)
Continued from part 2.
In this 3rd and final part of our discussion on teaching sight words to children, I’m going to go in some detail and explain to you why it is a BAD idea to start teaching a child to read using sight words, and I’ll provide plenty of examples to go along with it. First a little about my language background.
My dominant and most fluent language is, of course, English; however, my native language is Chinese. The unfortunate fact is that because I moved to Canada at a very young age, and while I speak Chinese fluently, I have difficulty reading it.
Do you know why?
Because Chinese is difficult to learn and because it is an ideographic language that must be learned by hard memorization!
Ideographs (such as Chinese characters) are graphic symbols that convey meaning. Because there’s no way to “decode” ideographs, you can only learn it by memorizing, which makes it very difficult, and I can tell you that even being a native Chinese speaker, it’s very tough to learn it without confusing the many similar characters.
English is Not an Ideographic language.
. and should never be taught as such!
Unfortunately, there are many misguided souls out there who insist on teaching words as a whole – through the teaching of sight words – and ignore instructions in teaching the “parts” which makeup the “whole”!
A child should NEVER start learning to read English through sight words and through learning only the “whole” word. English is an alphabetic language and reading should always follow a bottom-up approach where the child learns and discovers the “parts” first, and then learn to combine and connect the “parts” to derive the “whole”.
What this simply means is that a child should always start learning to read by learning the letters, letter sounds, and through developing phonemic awareness to help them learn and discover the relatively simple mechanics behind reading English!
When a child is exposed to sight words prior to learning any phonics or receiving any alphabetic instructions, that child will respond to the entire or “whole” configuration and shape of the words. The child develops habitual visual patterning and tries to memorize words by cues and clues based on the word shape – the child does not learn the concept that the words contain individual symbols which connect together to form the entire word.
What would you rather do:
1) have your child memorize the shapes and configurations of hundreds of words, or
2) teach your child the mechanics behind reading and decoding where little to no memorization is required?
That’s a rhetorical question.
Why Learning Sight Words Can Cause Problems
Indeed, it is the very fact that so many try to teach English words as ideographs that lead to such poor reading abilities in so many children and adults. I have prepared several word sets in English and Chinese below:
These example sight words are picked from the Dolch list, and as you can see, they look very similar, and for a child that has not learned the nuances of English and the alphabet, they will attempt to learn the word by its WHOLE CONFIGURATION! That is, the child will try to learn the words by its shape, just as how one would learn Chinese.
Assuming you do not know Chinese, please take a look at the above words list in the 3rd column numbered 1 to 5. What do you see? If you look through the list at a normal pace, can you easily spot the differences between the characters? Not so easy or apparent to distinguish the differences huh?! Especially, if you were to see these characters by themselves, you could easily mistaken one for another. Imagine you’re a new learner and have no background or knowledge in Chinese, and you learned the 2 character in row #5.
The first character says “ren” meaning “person” and the second character says “ru” meaning “enter”. If you had learned these characters, and then happen to see one of them, which is which? Will you know easily the different between “ren” and “ru”? Probably not, and you’ll likely get them confused. Same with all the other examples, and I can list hundreds of these examples in Chinese.
Now we turn to the English sight words. There are also hundreds of possible examples where words have very very similar configurations. Imagine again, that you did not know how to read at all, just as a young child, and if you learned some words such as “then” and “them”, or “there” and “three”, or “full” and “fall”, you could easily confuse one for the other!
Without learning the mechanics behind reading and decoding, a child (or adult) can only resort to learning (memorizing) the whole configurations of words – this is where problems arise, and this is what causes reading difficulties in otherwise perfectly intelligent children. Moreover, the blame of failing to learn to read is often placed on the child and/or parents, and rarely on the poor and inadequate methods used to teach that child! Ridiculous, I say!
But a child that learned through phonics and phonemic awareness will have absolutely no trouble at distinguishing the similar words because they can instantly see the differences in the “parts” which make the words different. For example:
on – /o/ /n/ an – /a/ /n/
then – /th/ /e/ /n/ them – /th/ /e/ /m/
With the combination of systematic phonics and phonemic awareness development, ANY parent can easily teach their child(ren) to read phonetically, and without resorting to any memorization of sight words.
Here, please watch this short video, and see just how well a 2 year old child can learn to read and decode after just 11 weeks of reading lessons – lessons that involve no memorization of sight words!
Well, that brings us to our conclusion of our 3 part series on teaching sight words to children, and I hope that I’ve put forth a convincing enough case such that you’ll think twice before teaching your child to read through the use of sight words.
To learn more about a super simple and effective reading program that teaches children to read phonetically (at any age), please click the link below.
Teaching your children how to read can help give them a solid chance at success in life. But you might be wondering how to go about teaching your child the necessary skills.
Although times, technologies, and circumstances change, two familiar methods of teaching children to read are still very effective: learning the alphabet and working on sight words.
Teaching the Alphabet to Help Early Readers
Teaching the alphabet is as easy as ABC. Alphabet knowledge is a key predictor of reading success for children. Children need to know the names, shapes, and sounds of each letter. If you’re looking for ideas on how to teach the alphabet, there are several fun, engaging activities to choose from.
One of the simplest alphabet teaching methods is singing the ABCs with your child. The traditional alphabet song is a great way to teach the names of the letters. You can find more alphabet songs on our YouTube channel.
Consistent routines and repeated activities help children learn. A routine learning time for the alphabet, ideally repeated each day at the same time, can help young children learn the alphabet. During this routine time, you and your child might sing the ABCs, go through an alphabet chart, use alphabet flash cards, or name the capital letters and lowercase letters together. Games and joint activities make learning fun.
Here are some fun printable activities and alphabet flash cards to incorporate into your learning activities:
Using Sight Words to Teach Reading
What are sight words? The Iowa Reading Research Center says there are two types:
The first are words that show up so often that it’s faster and better for the learning reader to memorize them, rather than try to spend the time sounding them out. The second type are those tricky words that don’t follow phonics rules, so they are difficult to sound out.
Some examples of sight words are be, but, do, have, she, they, was, what, with.
The concept of sight words has been around since the 1930s, when Dr. Edward William Dolch developed a list based on the most commonly-used words in the children’s books of his era. The Dolch sight word list is focused on PreK through 3rd grade readers. A more modern version was developed by Dr. Edward Fry in the 1950s, and updated in 1980. The Fry sight word list is based on the most common words to appear in reading materials used in grades 3 through 9.
One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the importance of sight words in teaching reading. Sight words are especially valuable because they promote confidence for the child who’s learning to read. Starting early with sight words will help your child develop a large bank of words they can read, and that gives them a great foundation as they develop reading fluency.
Sight Word Activities and Practice Ideas for Families
Reading and writing together are among the most effective ways to teach sight words. Luckily, these are also among the most rewarding activities for child and parent alike!
Here are some ideas to make practicing sight words together fun and stress-free:
- Practice with this sight word worksheets PDF: Power word cards (en español)
- Play a matching game. Write each sight word on a pair of index cards or pieces of paper, then shuffle the deck and spread the words outface down. Have your child find and match words.
- Play flashlight find. Write words on pieces of paper and tape them to walls, ceilings, and around the house. Turn off the lights and have your child spot words with a flashlight.
- Write sight words on sticky notes and have your child swat them with a fly swatter or stick as you name them off.
- Grab some sidewalk chalk, a paintbrush, and some water and trace sight words on the sidewalk or driveway.
- Play “Wordo.” It’s like Bingo, but with sight words.
- Write sight words on paper plates. Once your child reads them off, toss them like a frisbee. For added fun, aim for a target.
- Sit down, cuddle up, and read some favorite stories together, looking for sight words as you go.
These and other activities, resources, and inspiration can be found here:
You and your child can have fun spelling sight words, which are words like they and were that your child writes all the time. Put them on slips of paper or use commercial flashcards and then use them in “Seeing and writing” spelling activities. Here are some easy ones to try out:
Seeing and writing
The simplest way for your child to learn to spell is for him to look at a word and then write it plenty of times. Have him do this by using ten of the sight words at a time and playing these “See and write” games with them:
- Have ten sight words on ten pieces of paper. Have your child spread them out face down and then ask him to turn each word over, take a quick peek at it, and then write it on his paper.
- Have your child put the ten words into a stack and ask him to turn each one over, quickly look at it, and then and write it down.
- Holding the words in a fan facing you, ask your child to pick a word, peek at it, and write it down.
- Holding the ten words in a fan facing you, ask him to select but not look at, a word and then take three guesses at which word he’s selected. If he guesses correctly, he takes a peek at it and writes it down. Keep going until he’s done all ten words.
Hiding and seeking
Most kids like hide and seek, but younger kids, in particular, like to find their words. Hide the ten words around the house and direct your child to them with hot and cold instructions. You know, when she’s getting closer to a word, tell her she’s getting hotter, and when she’s moving away from a word, say she’s getting colder. When she’s found all the words, dictate them for her to write.
Racing the clock
If your child wants a challenge, get out your watch or stopwatch. You can blow a whistle to start him off, too. Setting a time for him to beat, dictate the ten words for him to write. Or you can time him writing the words on the first dictation and then have him try to beat his own time with each successive dictation. You can play any of the “Seeing and writing” or “Hiding and seeking” games against a clock.
Keeping track
Your child wants to know that he’s doing well, wants to feel proud of himself, and needs you to show that you’re proud of him, too. The best way to track and acknowledge his progress is with a visual reminder. In other words, you need a progress chart. You can make a pie chart or line graph, if you’re handy on the keyboard, or a simple chart onto which your child sticks stickers is just as good.
A good way to start keeping a track of progress is to have a ten-week plan, which simply means that you plan to guide your child through ten new words each week for ten weeks, and then plot those weeks on poster paper. You can draw ten circles to be filled with ten stickers or stars each week or a bar graph to be made into ten bars each of ten units. Better yet, try drawing a line reaching to the moon for your child to color or stick stickers onto to see if he can spell into space. You can even make a picture with 100 segments that need to be colored in, or have a marble jar to be filled with 100 marbles or get 100 stick-it labels to be stuck onto a door.
Making the most of mediums
You can use different substances — like paint, wax crayons, and shaving foam — to write words with so that spelling is more fun. Get a large tray and reach for some sand, sugar, cream, shaving foam, pudding, mud, or rice. Have your child write his letters in whichever delicious or dirty medium you choose or have him create the letters to the words from modeling compound or pastry mix. Have a selection of colors and types and branch out into making bubble, rainbow, or shadow letters for effect. Bubble letters are the fat kind that kids love to doodle, rainbow letters are letters written in different colors, usually one color after another, and shadow letters appear three dimensional.
Games to go
These easy activities and games lend themselves perfectly to those times when you’re waiting at soccer practice or Brownies. You may remember some of them from your own childhood.
Straightforward oral spellings
Although not actually a game, you may be surprised to find how much your child likes straightforward spelling, especially if he’s already practiced the words and is pretty sure to get them all right. He actually likes you to ask him to spell them out loud. In the car, at the supermarket, or in the elevator, ask him to spell a few words for you. Younger, energetic kids will want to get right into the act, too.
Oral spellings with a theme
Think of a theme like words that end in tion or have more than three syllables, and take turns saying and spelling them. This activity works well with two or more children, and you can make the themes easier for the younger kids.
Boxes
Boxes is more interactive than some games and the more your child plays, the better game he can give you. Start by drawing a square grid of dots, 4 dots by 4 dots (16 dots in all). Take turns drawing individual lines between two side-by-side dots. You can draw vertically or horizontally but not diagonally. Your goal is to complete more boxes than your opponent. Whenever you complete a box by adding the fourth side to a three-sided box, you put your mark inside your box (usually your initial) and get another turn. “So,” you’re asking, “where does the spelling fit in?” Give your child five free turns to start the game off, if he first spells five words correctly.
Words on your back
Have you a child with a vacant back? Write a word onto it with your finger. Write the first letter a few times until he figures out what it is, and then do the same with the remaining letters. When your child figures out the entire word, turn around and offer up your back for reciprocation.
Picture words
Words like jump, walk, and eat are good for doodling with. Ask your child to draw in and around the words to make them look like what they’re saying. Some letters can jump out of jump, walk can have a pair of feet added to the bottom of the k; and eat can be put on a plate. Let your child come up with good ideas for again, around, down, drink, grow, light, little, tent, and two.
