Combining Sight Words with Phonics Instruction

High frequency sight words (also known simply as sight words) are commonly used words that young children are encouraged to memorize as a whole by sight, so that they can automatically recognize these words in print without having to use any strategies to decode or sound out the words they are reading.

Sight words account for a large percentage (up to 75%) of the words used in beginning readers’ print materials. The advantage for children being able to recognize sight words automatically is that a beginning reader will be able to identify the majority of words in a text before they attempt to read it; therefore, allowing the child to concentrate on meaning and comprehension as they read without having to stop and decode every single word.

Play “Sight Word Bingo” or use a flashcard set (taken from Fry’s Sight Word List 1^st ~ 100)

Download Fry Sight Word Lists at the end of the lesson or visit their website online for more information.

Sight Word Bingo

Alphabet Practice

Learn the letters of the alphabet by listening to and singing along with the “Alphabet Song.” Mix up the alphabet flashcards and have your child put them in alphabetic order. Mix up plastic alphabet refridgerator magnets and have them spell Sight Words to put on the fridge.

The ABC Song – Happy Kids

Notes

[1] Sight Words [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sight_word]

[2] “Fry” Sight Word Lists [https://www.k12reader.com/subject/vocabulary/fry-words/]

[3] Alphabet Letters/Letter Magnets (Amazon)

[https://www.amazon.com/ABCaptain-Magnetic-Toddlers-Learning-Classroom/dp/B082FB4LFZ/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=alphabet+letter+magnets&qid=1683925303&sprefix=alphabet+letter+%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-6]

Resources

Lined Handwriting Paper