Sight words are something we covered in an earlier post, but something we should revisit. We established that sight words (aka Dolch words) are words that have to be taught to be recognized by sight and can’t be phonetically sounded out. Because sight words don’t fit the rules of phonics, they must be taught by rote memory through a variety of methods such as games, flash cards, and practice through reading books. There is discussion, however, as to which words should be considered sight words and which words can actually be phonetically sounded out. The Dolch word list outlines 220 words that should be memorized by children for speedier reading skills. Some of these words, some argue, can be ‘sounded-out’ though and should not be considered sight words by definition.
Some of the words up for debate include:
AND
IT
IN
IS
Others say the definition of a sight word has nothing to do with whether they can be sounded out; rather it has to do with the frequency they are seen in written works or their “commonality”.
Where does your opinion lie with the sight word debate?
In my opinion, sight words represent both phonetically irregular and high frequency words. A great activity to expose children to these words is playing a board game called, Er-u-di-tion. This award winning game incorporates over 300 sight words and the letters of the alphabet and their basic phonic sounds in an enjoyable, engaging activity, providing both teachers and parents with a useful tool. Cards are categorized so children of all reading levels can play together!
Posted by: Denise | August 10, 2009 at 05:27 AM
I'm really excited to hear about erudition, Denise! I'll have to check out your site and get some more information. Thanks!
Posted by: Admin | August 12, 2009 at 07:04 PM