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 you opinion lie with the sight word debate?
Comments