Sight Word Applications

Sight Word Applications:

What are Sight Words and why do they matter? A lot of research has been done on the material that children read. What has resulted is some pretty specific lists of words that comprise a between 60% to 85% of all words appearing in children's texts. These words are commonly called Sight Words or High Frequency Words and there is a big push in most schools for children to memorize these words so that they can experience success in reading. Our Sight Words are a combination of a couple of lists and our idea is NOT to replace a systematic, explicit phonics instruction curriculum that includes a frequent dose of phonemic awareness activities, and expect children to memorize 306 words, but rather, for children who have difficulty in working on left-brain functions, embedding visuals into the letters and high frequency words allows the child to focus on what he's reading, learn good phonics strategies that COMBINED with VISUALS will help make him a fluent reader. While the child is learning these high frequency words, practicing them using our decodable text books, all in a way that is fun and easy for him, he will be building new neural pathways that will ensure his subsequent success at reading new words in later texts. Our goal is to give every kindergartner a super chance at reading and success in school! (Get our SnapWords and Start Today!)

Teaching children to read using Dolch sight words:

Who will benefit from using Stylized Sight Words:

    Child1st sight word cards propel children into reading... no matter how difficult reading has seemed before. For those children who cannot decode, are stuck in the decoding stage, or who have little short term memory, Child1st wight words are the answer. Providing multisensory reading instruction is vital for Learners with Dyslexia, Aspergers, Autism, ADD, Reading Comprehension Problems, Visual Learners, and other RIght Brain Learners, we provide a path to reading success using explicit phonics instruction combined with visual, kinesthetic (body movement), & tactile elements that provide multiple channels into the brain.

Suggestions for using Stylized Sight Words:

    Rather than adding one word at a time to a word wall, I prefer to display groups of words from one set in a pocket chart easily visible to all the children, then play some of the games and word wall activities that you will find in the free booklet, Activities For Use With Stylized SnapWords that accompanies each Sight Word order. There are many activities to teach the sight words including "Pop Up" in which children take turns popping up to identify and read a word they know. As the days go by, choose together which words may be turned over to the plain side until all the words in the chart have been turned over. While the group of words is still displayed, children can collaborate in creating short sentences or phrases from the words, such as "See me run!"

Early Childhood applications:

    Even in pre-school and kindergarten, learning to recognize those high frequency words becomes child's play when you have our sight words displayed in a chart. Children are attracted to them and love hanging around together where the words are. It will amaze you the learning that goes on in those situations!

ESOL:

    Our sight words greatly enhance the learning experience fr speakers of other languages, as the visual becomes a vital memory prompt to meaning. At first, children might say the word in their own language, but over time, they will make the transition to English words!

Exceptional Education:

     For any child who struggles in reading, adding the visual and kinesthetic elements is like giving him a fresh approach, a friendly approach, one that is non-threatening and is not a reminder of past failure. Some children do not successfully learn to read the expected way: they might not understand decoding, might not have a good retention of sight words, but giving them visuals and motions as additional pathways for learning can make all the difference in the world. Some children will continue to do the motion for the word for a while after they have come to recognize and read the words, but what that shows is that the motion was a critical piece in their learning and recall of the word.

Comments

[Denise]

Try playing a board game called Er-u-di-tion that incorporates both sight words and phonics.

This award winning game helps children learn to read, spell and understand the most common words in the English language while playing an entertaining board game.

Cards are categorized so children of all reading levels can play together!

[Sarah Major]

Hi Denise,
Too many children struggle to learn their sight words initially, and using our stylized words that have images embedded in them bridges that gap for them painlessly. Using a game to increase fluency after initial instruction is a great idea! Thanks for your post.