Why sight words matter
A small set of words makes up a huge share of all text. Just over 100 words account for around half of everything children read. Recognise those instantly and reading becomes smoother, faster and more enjoyable , which makes children want to read more.
Pre-K and Kindergarten
Start with the most frequent, most useful words. Aim for instant recognition, not spelling, at this stage.
- a, I, the, see, we, to, like, go, you, and, my, is, it, me, in, can
Grade 1
Build on the basics with words that appear constantly in early readers.
- he, was, that, she, for, on, are, with, his, they, at, be, this, have, from, of
Grade 2,3
Now the words get longer and less phonetically regular , these reward repeated, spaced practice.
- because, before, around, through, would, should, could, their, there, friend, people, again
How to practise sight words
Short and frequent wins. Flashcards, word hunts in a favourite book, and writing each word a few times all help. Mix recognition (read it) with production (write it) so the word sticks both ways.