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.