Friday, September 2, 2011

Practicing Sight Words

We spend a TON of time learning sight words! I try to be very organized so that my students don't suffer my forgetfulness!!!  This is the best thing I've ever done to help my students (and me)! Here's how it works:
  • After the beginning of school rules and routines are practiced and mostly learned, I model how to get into a group or with a partner to practice.
  • Students will get a partner close to their level and the cards they are working on and sit together in the classroom.
  • They will take turns being the teacher and flash the words while the other says them. If there is a word that they  don't know, they raise their hands and I'll help them. Later, they'll use the ask 3 before me rule.
  • Once they master this way of practice, I'll bring out the sight board game boards, then the sight word fishing game, then the popcorn word game, etc.
This has worked for several years in my K class. I've had more students than ever master more than 220 sight words each year after implementing it! I also keep a chart on the wall where each student gets to color in the list after mastery. They already love it and I've only had it up a week!

 Here is a closer view. It's organized in groups of ten. R1 corresponds to red list 1, R2: red list 2 and continues to Gold 22. We also have color and number words.

57 comments:

Tessa said...

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Tessa
Spotlight on Kindergarten

Rebecca said...

great idea!

Kristin Young said...

I just wrote "personal send home flash card sets" on my to-do list. An in class place to practice is even better. Rings!!! Sometimes I can't think of the simplest solutions. Looking forward to sharing more ideas with you...I'm your newest follower! :)

Little Miss Glamour Goes to Kindergarten

Lee said...

What a terrific idea that mums can use at home as well - thanks. Will post your link on my facebook pages as well.
www.facebook.com/snapatoonies
thanks.....

Lee said...

Hi Sandra
I wondered if you could please contact me - le@snapatoonies.com.
Sorry I would email you but can not see how to contact you directly from your blog. :-(
thanks lee

Anonymous said...

i was looking for the sight words that you used. i have a preschooler and would like to work at home with her. could you by chance email me with them or where to find the words? thank you. tshane_barr@yahoo.com

Rena Wooters said...

I would like to have a list, also. Is there somewhere I can go for a list or could you email me at bamaone@bellsouth.net? My first graders would enjoy this! Awesome idea - thanks for sharing!

Miss Wood said...

This is a fabulous idea!!! Like the last two people to comment, I was wondering about the words and if there is a list? If you could let me know I'd really appreciate it! Thank you!

My email: cwood1120@ gmail.com

Ms. Williamson's Blog said...

How did you hang them on the peg board? Did you have special hooks? If so where did you get them?

Anonymous said...

Hi i was just wondering what the labels above the cards stood for?

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandra,
I'm a first year teacher and I'm in the kinder classroom as well, yay! I came in a little late in the year to take over a class and I am having difficulty with a number of student and learning their sight words. I love this idea that you have and would LOVE to have the list of words with the corresponding R1, R2, and so on. If you could email me the list, I would greatlyyyy appreciate it. Thanks for sharing your awesome ideas! scano2012@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. I am an NQT & would love to use this & imagine the kids would love it too!!
Please could you email me the list too?
My email is:
yeliz@btinternet.com
Thanks very much x

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful sight word work station! Could you please email me your entire file? (Sight word cards, labels, mastery chart you post for kiddos and perhaps any directions that would be helpful for a teacher in implementing this work station!)My email is: isucyclone91@hotmail.com

Thank you for your time and talent! It is very much appreciated!

Anonymous said...

Would you also email me the same information that the person above my comment requested? My email is hiker1971@hotmail.com
This is an amazing idea!
Thank you

Renee Stewart said...

Love you sight word station and ideas.
Would you share your list or format that you typed these in??
Thank you so much ---I teach first grade but have many low level readers this should help.
Thank you.

Renee Stewart
Greenville ISD

Renee Stewart said...

OOOPS forgot email address

stewartr@greenvilleisd.com

Anonymous said...

Love your blog!! Found you through Pinterest, I would love a copy of this station for sight words if you are sharing! I love the idea of the rings! karey_lee_donovan@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love this! I'm teaching kindergarten this year for the first time and looking for ways to GREATLY. Improve the process of learning sight words next year. If you wouldn't mind emailing the list to me I would greatly appreciate it! Kayteeclark@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I too was wondering if you would email me the entire list and any other information you would be willing to share to help with children with learning delays. Thanks! Anne - atanner4@yahoo.com

Carol T. said...

Hi!

Please email me the list and the chart if possible so I can start using with my class as soon as possible. Some are really falling behind.

Thanks so much for sharing your ideas with the not so creative. It really, really helps us.

Carol T.

carolt1954@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love this idea! I was also wondering if you would be willing to share your list of words with me. I teach Kindergarten, and I am very interested in doing something like this. My email is ckat30@hotmail.com.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Came across your blog and loved it. I m very interested in setting up my sight words following your idea. I know you have many requests asking for the list of sight words. I would greatly appreciate it if you can send me the list and instructions that go with setting up the sight word cards at Joise@usa.com

Thanks a bunch

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of this system! Our school typically has Kindergarten students heading off to first grade with less than 100 sight words and I KNOW we can implement something that would increase that. Do you have the list of words? Also, do you have a picture of the chart the students use to mark progress? I am having trouble even imaging it (though it could just be the end of the year). Please let me know, I want to have this in place for next year so we don't waste one moment! It was my first year this year and I know I can only get better.

amber.ham@austinisd.org

Anonymous said...

What a lovely idea. My daughter was born with down syndrome and is doing well with reading. I intend to use the idea to make it more fun and different rather than always using flashcards. Could you please forward the list. Also is there a particular order to present them please? anna-ferry@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

What a lovely idea. My daughter was born with down syndrome and is doing well with reading. I intend to use the idea to make it more fun and different rather than always using flashcards. Could you please forward the list. Also is there a particular order to present them please? anna-ferry@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

Could I PLEASE get these word lists?

I home school and this would be a great help!!

loriannkocialski@gmail.com

liltinkerbell678 said...

I love the material! I was wondering if I could get a copy of the word list as well as the chart that students fill in once they complete a word list! Thank you!!

candice.stokes923@gmail.com

Kathryn said...

Hi,
That looks like an awesome idea! I teach title 1 reading for K-2 students and I would love the lists/chart if you're sharing! My email is kjmiller632@gmail.com
Thanks,
Kathryn

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting. Can you please send me a copy of your sight words and chart?

Bobbi
Msporter706@hotmail.com

Aims said...

Hi there! I love this idea and am working on implementing this in my classroom. Just wondering which list of words you used. Thanks!

Rene said...

Could you please email me the above mentioned sight words? Each year we struggle with sight words. This would be of great help. Thank you! renebabes2000@gmail.com

Rene said...

Could you please email me the above mentioned sight words? Each year we struggle with sight words. This would be of great help. Thank you! renebabes2000@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi there, I love this idea as I have a very mixed ability class this year! Would it be possible for you to email it to me? pamela_bryce@hotmail.com thank you so much in advance!

Pam

ESnover said...

I would also like the list of words. I work with ESL students who are in need of this!

Anonymous said...

Wow!
Great blog! Your sight word list station is amazing! What a great system.
Me too, please!
My sons are struggling with this.
Please could you send me a copy of your sight words and chart? I feel it would make a great difference.

Thank you very much in advance.
Hotsun88@hotmail.co.uk

Anonymous said...

Hi.
This is a great idea. I'm a first grade teacher and its my first year teaching.
Please if you can e-mail me the list that you created. Thank you very much. tannicu@hotmail.com
Thank you.

Anonymous said...

If you have the word sets to share, please email!

LOVE this idea!

KellyL@friscoisd.org

Anonymous said...

Hello!
I would love a list too If possible. I am a teacher and a mom and these would be an incredible resource. Thank u in advance!
brittskene@ gmail.com

Su said...

Love this sight word idea, could you also send me the list you used. I'm new to 2nd grade and have the low readers.
Susan.unumb@gmail.com

Su said...

Love this sight word idea, could you also send me the list you used. I'm new to 2nd grade and have the low readers.
Susan.unumb@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. Could you send me a copy of the list? brooke.alexander@live.ca

Alecia Beers said...

I would LOVE to have a copy of this list if you have it available!! My email address is aleciabeers@yahoo.com.

Thank you so much! We need more teachers out there like you!

CacklingCrocodile said...

Hi, I am Sheleen from Mozambique. This year I am teaching a pre K class of 20 2nd language kids and would love if you could email me your sight words and chart and anything else you might think would come in useful. I battle with resources as well as well as assistance so do and make everything myself so some ideas of controlling groups would help me so much please.
Thanks and regards

Samantha Yum said...

Hi,

I love your idea with these sight words! I am currently teaching 1st grade at an English Immersion school in South Korea. I was wondering if you could send me the list of sight words that you use with your students, and how you separate them into different sets. My email is:

sam.yum629@gmail.com

Thank you! :)

Unknown said...

I love the idea and would like to use it with my kindergartens this summer . Will please email the different word categories to purplepebb@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I love this idea. I am also interested in the list of sight words and categories if you are sharing. My email is meshelle24@hotmail.com

Samantha Yum said...

Hi! I came across your idea on pinterest and am interested in using it in my classroom here in South Korea! If you could direct me towards where I can get those sight words it would be really helpful! My email is sam.yum629@gmail.com.

Thank you!! :D

ddny18 said...

HI great idea. Can you tell me how you grouped the words? Is there a certain way to group them or you just picked any words. Are you on TPT? If not could you please email me the list of words?

thk u diana

Anonymous said...

It's a great idea! However I noticed that many of the words you have shown are not actually sight words. Have you considered teaching the children phonics instead? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for life. Memorizing a bunch of words limits you to those words. Where as memorizing phonics rules is like teaching them how to fish.

Anonymous said...

Google Dr. Fry sight words OR Dolche sight words

Michelle said...

Good evening, I just came across your sight vocabulary idea. It's amazing! Would like to use it in my class. Could you please mail the lists to me. It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Unknown said...

Hello, I would love to begin to introduce this in my pre-k classroom, could you please email me your sight words and chart and anything else or even suggestions for me. I am struggling with this and I need all of the help I can get please.

Thank you,

becky_rocha36@yahoo.com

W.P.G. said...

Exactly! Research shows that children that teaching reading by the sight word method makes children worse at reading in the long run. Sight word reading is a bad habit that has to be unlearned later if children are going to be successful readers.

Anonymous said...

amazing, could you please share your file of sight words, to made it for my daughter. I really appreciate it.

Thanks
email: gonzmery1979@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

This is a fabulous idea that i think it would be very helpful for my son. If you don't mind, could you share the list of 22 sets of sight words file? Really appreciare it.

Thank you.
email: taznee@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

would you mind sharing the word list w me for my class happygina6at aol.com

JackieLovesTheKids said...

Thank you for sharing. Going from intermediate teaching for 14 years and now in Kindergarten is HUGE! But, awesome teachers like you help calm my nerves. I don't want to fail the babies.