Sight Word Practice

Sight words are words that don’t necessarily follow common spelling patterns, but are words that readers need to memorize or recognize by sight. These words often show up in reading frequently, but can be difficult to decode. This is why recognizing sight words automatically is KEY. Combining sight word instruction with phonics instruction will increase a child’s reading fluency, which will increase reading comprehension.

Sight Words in Sentences

Memorizing sight words on flash cards is great, but practicing sight words in the context of reading is vital to building sight word mastery. That’s why I have my students practice their sight words in sentences with sight word sentences. Providing a picture clue should allow students to read all the words in the sentence. I’ve created sight word sentences for Dolch sets 1-5. These words are common words that frequently show up while students are reading.

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Practice reading sight words in sentences.

Each sight word set is printed on a different color of cardstock. This allows me to easily identify what set my students are working on.

Sight Word Sentence Reading

Read the Sight Word

The sight word is listed at the top of each card. Students identify the sight word first. If they are having trouble identifying the sight word, I will encourage them to try to read the sentence to see if they can figure out the sight word using context clues. If they still cannot read the sight word, I will tell them the word and they will repeat the word back to me. The students will then identify the sight word in the sentence by pointing to the word. If you laminate your cards, you can have the student circle the word with a dry erase marker.

Say the Picture

Students identify the picture second. The picture is a word in the sentence that the students may be unfamiliar with. For example on the sight word card “two” there is a picture of two cookies. Cookies is a word they may be unfamiliar with in the sentence they are about to read. By saying the picture word, this provides the student with a picture clue and background knowledge to support their sentence reading that they are about to do.

Read the Sight Word Sentences

Students will finally read the entire sentence. Some students are able to do this independently and some may need support. If students need support, I will model how to read the sentence fluently by tracking each word with my finger. I will then encourage students to read the sentence again.

Repeated Readings

Repeated reading is a practice to increase a child’s reading fluency and sight word mastery. Repeated reading is a process of having a student read the same text over and over until their reading is fluent and error free. This can be done with sight word sentences! There are two options for repeated readings. A student can read one particular sentence over and over OR a student can go through all the sentences over and over. I like to do it both ways! The child can read it to themselves over and over, read it to a friend or an adult, read it in a whisper phone, or change up their voice each time. Try to make it fun and rewarding!

Sight Word Tracking and Storage

Goal setting and tracking progress is a great way to encourage students to read their sight word sentences! There are 220 Dolch sight words and they are split into grade levels they are commonly used in, ranging in pre-kindergarten to third grade.

Track and set sight word goals with students.

I have sight word goal cards for all five sets. As students show mastery of a set, they receive a sticker on their sight word goal card for that set and will then move on to the next set.

Store your sight words sentences in photo boxes.

Each sight word set is printed on a different color of cardstock (5 colors for 5 sight word sets). I make 6-8 copies of each set. This allows multiple students to practice a set at a time. I wrap a rubber band around each copy and then place all the set copies in a container.

Ready to try Sight Word Sentences in your classroom? You can grab the all five sets HERE or by clicking the picture below.