What Are Sight Words?
Sight words are common words that young children are encouraged to memorize as a whole by sight, so they can automatically recognize these words in print without having to use any strategies to decode them.
Key Points:
• These words often don't follow typical phonetic rules, making them tricky to sound out.
• They appear very frequently in text, sometimes making up 50-70% of general reading material.
• Quick recognition of these words helps children read more fluently and comprehend better.
History of Sight Words:
1. Early 1900s: Edward William Dolch created the first list of sight words.
2. 1936: Dolch published his book "Problems in Reading," featuring 220 "service words" and 95 common nouns.
3. 1950s-present: Various educators and researchers have expanded on Dolch's work, creating new lists and methods.
Common Sight Word Lists:
1. Dolch List: 220 service words + 95 nouns
2. Fry List: 1000 words (updated in the 1980s)
3. Various curriculum-based lists used by different school systems
How Many Sight Words Are There?
• The number varies depending on the list used.
• Typically, students learn:
- Preschool: 40-50 words
- Kindergarten: 50-100 words
- First Grade: 100-200 words
- Second Grade: 200-300 words
- Third Grade and beyond: Continuing to expand
What Sight Words Are Used For:
1. Improving Reading Fluency:
• Quick recognition of common words speeds up reading.
• Allows children to focus on decoding more complex words.
2. Enhancing Comprehension:
• When basic words are recognized instantly, more mental energy can be devoted to understanding the text.
3. Building Confidence:
• Success with sight words can boost a child's reading confidence.
4. Writing Support:
• Knowing how to spell common words helps in early writing tasks.
5. Foundation for Further Learning:
• Many sight words are building blocks for more complex vocabulary.
How to Teach Sight Words:
1. Introduce a few words at a time (3-5 new words per week).
2. Use flashcards, games, and repetitive reading.
3. Incorporate multisensory activities (e.g., tracing words in sand, building with letter blocks).
4. Practice regularly in short sessions.
5. Review previously learned words often.
Tips for Parents and Teachers:
• Make learning fun with games and activities.
• Point out sight words in everyday life (signs, packages, books).
• Praise effort and progress.
• Be patient – learning takes time.
• Use technology wisely – many apps and online games focus on sight words.
Remember:
While sight words are important, they should be part of a balanced reading program that also includes phonics, comprehension strategies, and a love for reading.
Kindergarten Sight Words (50 words):
a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you
First Grade Sight Words (100 words):
(Include all Kindergarten words, plus:)
after, again, an, any, as, ask, by, could, every, fly, from, give, going, had, has, her, him, his, how, just, know, let, live, may, of, old, once, open, over, put, round, some, stop, take, thank, them, then, think, walk, were, when, with
Second Grade Sight Words (150 words):
(Include all Kindergarten and First Grade words, plus:)
always, around, because, been, before, best, both, buy, call, cold, does, don't, fast, first, five, found, gave, goes, green, its, made, many, off, or, pull, read, right, sing, sit, sleep, tell, their, these, those, upon, us, use, very, wash, which, why, wish, work, would, write, your
Third Grade Sight words (200 words):
(Include all Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade words, plus:)
about, better, bring, carry, clean, cut, done, draw, drink, eight, fall, far, full, got, grow, hold, hot, hurt, if, keep, kind, laugh, light, long, much, myself, never, only, own, pick, seven, shall, show, six, small, start, ten, today, together, try, warm
Progress Monitoring Report Template:
Student Name: ___________________
Grade: _________
Date of Assessment: ______________
Instructions: Present each word to the student. Mark correct responses with a checkmark (✓) and incorrect responses with an X.
[Insert appropriate grade-level word list here]
Results Summary:
Total words correct: ___ / ___
Accuracy percentage: ____%
Grade level equivalency: ____
Notes/Observations:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Assessor's Signature: ___________________
To use this report:
1. Select the appropriate grade-level word list.
2. Present each word to the student in a randomized order.
3. Mark their responses.
4. Calculate the total correct and accuracy percentage.
5. Determine grade level equivalency based on performance.
6. Add any relevant notes or observations.
This quick assessment will help you gauge the student's sight word recognition skills and track their progress over time. Remember to reassess periodically to monitor improvement.
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