Working With Sight Words

Sight Word Automaticity (I love that word!) is an important element of becoming literate.

In this post I'll be focusing on Sight Words...but I feel like if I don't talk a weensy bit about other facets of facilitating literacy that you'll think I overly emphasize Sight Words....so here's a nod to some freebies that I use within the Workshop model I use...

Word-Solving Strategies (Click pic to get to my freebie...)

Comprehension Strategies (I love Lyndsey Kuster's freebie posters.)

Fluency Building (Again...a freebie from Lyndsey...she's amazing!)

K...back to Sight Words...

For some beginning readers, learning sight words is easy peasy. For others, it's really challenging. 

Many fall somewhere in the middle, with some words easy, others tricky.

Our district has not adopted a specific spelling program...but here's what we do during our alternating weeks. Last year my turnover day was Thursdays...

Week A...Five high frequency spelling words pre-tested on Thursdays

Week B...Two high utility Chunks/Word Features (chunk/digraph/word family, etc)

Thursdays included a post-test of the previous words/chunks and a pre-test of the new words/chunks.

The post test was self-corrected using a pretty specific method...I will blog about it soon.

Here's a letter of explanation we shared with parents. You are welcome to it, as well! 

The pencil is from Ashley Hughes' freebie Fat Mini Pencils set.
Fonts are from Kim Geswein and Jennifer Jones.

Click here to get it in pdf form. (Uneditable...fonts will look the same as above.)

Click here to get it in an editable Powerpoint. (Editable...but for the fonts to look the same, you need to download: KG Be Still and Know & Jen Jones Hello Millionaire from her Commercial License set.)

Back to spelling/sight word practice...we spend roughly 10 mn of explicit practice time every day for whole class work on sight words/spelling. This practice time might be white board practice, whole body cheers & movement, partner practice, Roll A Word, Roll A Chunk (freebies below), etc.

The next one is in half-page format, but I includes two versions of an answer key to further explain my intentions with the game.

Click either pic to download from Google Docs...the blackline masters and the answer keys are included.

We also work on Sight Words in small group during Guided Reading and Guided Writing...

I tell ya...so many firsties gloss over the word and say/spell something close, but not quite...saw for was; like for look; his for has, etc.

This kinda drives me nuts.

So I made a little freebie in June that prompted sweet followers to email me and comment, wanting to know if it would turn into a pack.

Let's just say, after what felt like five million gobzillion hours, it turned into TWO packs...

Presenting:

and

I have a more extensive blog post about these packs in {THIS POST HERE}, but here's a little preview...

Set 1 has 43 pages of graphs and patterns...

The words on thFind, Tally & Graph pages correspond with the words on the Find, Graph & Answer pages (noted by matching clip art) so you can provide extra practice with the same words. (The answers are different, though)...

Wondering which words are used?

Answer keys in two sizes are included...full page size & quarter page size...

Set 2 includes 27 pages of mixed coin counting...

There are three coin combo versions for each set of words...the page border and coins listed next to the page header help you know which coins are found on the page.

My editors were SO helpful with the answer keys! All of our eyes were googly during the process...but those answer keys will be super helpful to you!

Set 2 also includes full page and quarter page sizes, depending on your printing needs.