How many sight words should a kindergartener know
Sight Words FAQs | Sight Words: Teach Your Child to Read
Sight Words FAQs | Sight Words: Teach Your Child to Read Q: How many words should I teach per day? A: There is no set answer to the number of words to teach a child each day. Factors such as the child’s age, motivation, memory skills, and whether the child is learning a specific list for a school assignment affect this decision. But remember: it is much better for a child to have solid knowledge of 50 words than to kind of know 300 words. It is not enough for children to kind of know their sight words. They need to be able to recognize them instantly and accurately in order to build reading fluency and comprehension of written material they will read in books.It is much better for a child to have solid knowledge of 50 words than to kind of know 300 words.We recommend that you start by thoroughly teaching your child three to five words in a lesson.
Please see our corrections procedure for instructions on how to correct mistakes in a positive, constructive way. It only takes a few seconds, so it won’t disrupt the flow of your lesson or game. Q: What does it mean to “master” a sight word? A: A child should recognize the presented target word three times in a row for three days in a row. The child should be able to identify and say the word quickly, showing that they know the word by sight and do not have to sound it out letter-by-letter. Q: My child is doing a great job with these activities! How much praise should I give her after each correct answer? A: Actually, very little. Gushing praise (“You are so smart,” a high five, “That’s wonderful!”) can be a major distraction to a young child with a short attention span. By the time you’ve finished praising her, she may have totally forgotten what she learned! Stick to a simple affirmation of a right answer (“Correct” or “That’s right”), and then continue with the activity.
Similarly, if the child gives a wrong answer, point out the mistake and the correct answer in a simple, direct manner. You’re not being mean, you’re just staying focused! Q: What’s the best way to keep track of which sight words my child has mastered and which ones are still being studied? A simple way to organize the child’s sight words that have been mastered or on which the child is presently working is to use a 5″x8″ card file box with A-Z file dividers. Place a card marked CURRENT WORDS in the front of the box, and place another card marked MASTERED WORDS that will separate current words from mastered words. Then file mastered words alphabetically behind the A-Z file cards. The words currently being learned are best filed in random (non-alphabetical) order. Q: My child enjoys the games a lot more than the lessons, so I’m tempted to just do the games. Is that okay? A: No. Our sight words games are excellent tools for reinforcing the knowledge your child has acquired from the lessons, but they are not a replacement for the sight words lessons.
If a child gets bored or distracted easily, consider shortening the lessons (by covering fewer words), but do not eliminate them! Q: Why are sight words sometimes called “service words”? A: Sight words actually service the reader by improving the child’s fluent, smooth reading of connected text in phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Research has strongly shown that fluency in reading is a vital prerequisite for good reading comprehension. If the process of reading print is too slow and laborious, the reader’s comprehension of printed material will be seriously impeded. Q: When is it developmentally appropriate to teach sight words? At what age are children ready to learn sight words? A: Children’s language skills develop at different rates, so we can’t give you hard-and-fast age rules. Most children will be able to master a few sight words in Pre-K (four years old). You can teach sight words earlier if your child is receptive to the material. But if your 2- or 3-year-old is uninterested and has difficulty retaining the words, then it’s probably too early, and you should wait a few months before trying again.
A good goal, according to child literacy expert Timothy Shanahan, is that children should master 20 sight words by the end of Kindergarten and 100 sight words by the end of First Grade. Q: Should I be teaching my child sight words instead of phonics? A: No! Sight words are a supplement to phonics instruction, not a substitute! Phonics teaches your child the rules for decoding and reading most words. Sight words instruction is a strategy of focusing extra attention on the words that occur most frequently, so that your child doesn’t have to stop and decode every single word. Leave a Reply
Sight Words for Kindergarten & Kids
No matter whether kindergarten children will be learning in person, online, or a hybrid of the two, parents and teachers are still focused on ensuring their emerging readers develop a love for reading while learning to read effectively and efficiently. One critical skill that children need in order to build solid foundational reading skills is sight word recognition.
What Are Sight Words?
When we teach children to read, we are basically helping them to crack a code. Children learn to hear and say the sounds of the alphabet and then how to blend those sounds to make words. These sounds usually follow basic spelling rules or phonetic principles, but there are some words that did not follow rules. These words are called sight words.
Most sight words cannot be decoded or sounded out, and they are also difficult to represent with a picture. As a result, children must learn to recognize these words automatically, or at first sight. Children who are able to quickly and instantly recognize sight words are more likely to become more fluent readers who read at a good speed because they are not stopping to try to decode every word. When children recognize sight words within three seconds, they are also more likely to comprehend what they are reading. Children who are able to instantly recognize sight words are more likely to be confident readers because over 50-70 percent of the general English text is made up of sight words.
There are several sight word lists for emerging readers. One list is called the Dolch Word List, created by E.W. Dolch in 1936. The list contains 220 of the most commonly used words that should be recognized by first sight. The list is divided by grade level from Pre-K through third grade, but many educators believe that these words should be mastered by first grade. In addition to the 220 sight words, the Dolch Word List also includes 95 high-frequency nouns. In the 1950’s, Dr. Edward Fry expanded the Dolch Word List to include 1,000 commonly used words in the English language. Fry updated the Fry Sight Word List in 1980, which is comprised of the most commonly used words in books, newspapers, and other publications. Like the Dolch Word list, the Fry Sight Word List is made up of both sight words and high-frequency words and is divided by grade level. Teachers will generally pull from one or both of these lists to create the sight words that children should learn. It is important for parents to keep in mind that children are expected to be able to instantly recognize sight words they have learned previously.
Examples of Sight Words for Kids
Here is a list of sight words and high-frequency words for Pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade that have been taken from both the Dolch Word and Fry Sight Word Lists.
| Grade | Sight Words |
| Pre-K (40 words) | a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you |
| Kindergarten (100 words) | about, all, am, an, are, as, at, ate, be, been, black, brown, but, by, call, came, could, day, did, do, each, eat, first, four, from, get, good, had, has, have, he, her, him, his, how, if, into, like, long, made, many, may, more, must, new, no, now, number, of, oil, on, or, other, our, out, part, people, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, sit, so, some, soon, than, that, their, them, then, there, these, they, this, time, to, under, use, want, was, water, way, well, went, were, what, when, which, white, who, will, with, word, would, write, yes, your |
| 1st Grade (100 words) | add, after, again, air, also, America, animal, another, answer, any, around, ask, back, because, before, boy, change, different, does, end, even, every, fly, follow, food, form, found, give, going, great, hand, high, home, house, just, kind, know, land, large, learn, let, letter, line, live, man, mean, men, most, mother, move, much, must, name, need, near, off, old, only, once, open, over, page, picture, place, point, put, read, right, round, same, say, sentence, set, should, show, small, sound, spell, still, stop, study, such, take, tell, thank, things, think, through, too, try, turn, us, very, walk, want, well, why, work, world, year |
Site Words FAQs
Q: What is the difference between sight words and high-frequency words?
A: While both sight words and high-frequency words are important, they are not the same.
Sight words are words that cannot be decoded, so knowing spelling rules or phonics will not help a child sound out the word. High-frequency words are commonly used words that students need to know. Some high-frequency words are decodable using spelling and phonics rules, and some are not. As a result, it is important to help students recognize both sight word and high-frequency words by sight, so that they can recognize them automatically. As you begin to introduce spelling rules, phonics and syllabication to Kindergarten children, be sure to highlight high-frequency words they have memorized that fit a given rule. Regardless of whether the word is a sight word or high-frequency words, they both must be taught explicitly and systemically so that children will know them automatically.
Q: When should sight words be taught?
A: While most Pre-K children are able to master some sight words, it is important to remember that children learn language skills at different rates. They also have different interest levels when it comes to learning words.
Some children are eager and ready to learn while others may not be. As a result, there is no specific age to begin teaching sight words. So try some fun sight word activities with your two- or three-year old children, but do not push if they are not interested. Let your child’s developmental readiness and interest level guide you.
Q: How many sight words should kindergarteners learn?
A: There are varying opinions as to how many words children should learn. Some literacy experts like Tim Shanahan believe that kindergarteners should master 20 sight words by the end of kindergarten. The Dolch word list has 40 words listed for Pre-K students and some school districts require that kindergarteners learn 100 sight words by the end of the school year. Consider your children’s progress and interest levels as well as your school district’s expectation to help decide on the appropriate number of sight words for your children.
Q: What order should I teach sight words?
A: There is no one set prescribed order to teach sight words.
Some teachers and parents teach the sight words from the Dolch or Fry lists in alphabetical order. Others use the lists and create their own order. Consider using the Frequency Fry List that has words ranked by the frequency of use for reading and writing. To help children learn sight words and get them to stick, create your own lists to teach students the words not only in isolation, but also in context. For example, if you decide to read a specific book, teach the sight words from the book you are reading. This gives children practice reading the word in isolation and also helps them to see how the word is used in language.
Q: How many sight words can be taught in a day?
A: Before determining a set number of sight words to teach, it is important to focus on the number of words that children are actually learning. It is important to consider the quality of their learning, not the quantity. Make certain that children can recognize sight words instantly and accurately before rushing to complete a certain number of words.
Before starting, be sure to consider the child’s age, motivation and memory skills. Keep in mind that a child who can instantly and accurately name 50 sight words is building a more solid reading foundation versus a child who “kind of knows” 100 words.
Start by introducing children to three to five new words during a given lesson. During the next day’s lesson, review the previously introduced words. If children remember all of the words, consider introducing three to five new words. If children do not remember the previous words, review the previously introduced words and wait to introduce new words. Also, consider reducing the number of words you introduce in each lesson to one or two words if children are struggling or feel overwhelmed.
Learning Without Tears Knows Sight Words!
There are lots of fun, engaging strategies to teach children sight words. Before you begin teaching sight words, make certain you have broken down the word lists into manageable and differentiated lists for your students.
Secondly, no matter whether you are teaching your children in person or virtually, it is important to devote at least 15-20 minutes a day to teaching sight words. Lastly, make learning sight words is a fun and interactive activity. Below are 10 engaging sight words activities to do with your children.
Sight Word Concentration – On index cards, write the same sight words on two separate cards. Make two piles – one with the word and the other with the matching word. Mix the two piles and place them face down. Have children take turns to find the matching cards. Consider having children write down the words that they found. Use Learning Without Tears’ A+ Worksheet Maker to create worksheets where they can copy the words.
Build-A-Sight Word – Children love building words with manipulatives like magnetic alphabet letters. Learning Without Tears’ Magnetic Lowercase & Blackboard Set contains magnetic lowercase letters and a magnetic blackboard with double lines so that children can build and write sight words.
Children can also build sight words using Learning Without Tears’ free Make Your Own Letter Cards.
Sight Word Bingo – Create individual bingo cards using sight words that you have introduced. You can also give students a blank board and have them write the words in the boxes from a list you provide. Be sure to have the words written on index cards and pull them out of a container to call the sight words. Students should place a marker on the word when it is called. Students must yell "Sight Word Bingo!" when they have covered a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
Stamp Out Sight Words – Using alphabet cookie cutters, have students stamp out letters using dough, then have children build sight words. Model for students first, then have them do it with you. After guiding them, have them try to build it independently. This fun activity is also great for building fine motor skills.
Sentences with Sight Words – Learning Without Tears’ Sentence School is a great way to help students learn sight words and write sentences.
Students will love the engaging, hands-on lessons, and the guide is a great resource for teachers and parents alike.
Sight Word Detective – Show children a sight word with a missing letter. Have children act as detectives to find the missing letter. You can play as a whole class, in teams, or individually. To make it more challenging, remove more than one letter. Also consider using the word with the missing letter in a sentence to help children practice context clues. You can write letters on a white board or use magnetic letters.
Sight Word Scramble – Using magnetic letters or letter cards, mix up the letters of the sight word and have children unscramble the words to reveal the correct spelling of the sight word. You can involve more children by giving each child a letter and have them spell out a sight word.
Sight Word Sing-a-Long – Music is a great teaching tool for children and adults. Learning Without Tears has lots of fun, engaging, and catchy songs to help students learn sight words.
Consider displaying the lyrics from Learning Without Tears’ Rock, Rap, and Learn CD on a white board and have children circle all of the sight words. Lyrics to all songs are located on Learning Without Tears’ Handwriting Interactive Teaching Tool.
Read and Write Engaging Stories – Children feel more confident and excited when they begin to recognize words in a book. When reading to children, help them to identify sight words. Learning Without Tears’ MatMan Book series contains lots of sight words. Give sight word readers to children to begin reading on their own. After reading a story, write the sight words that they see and have children copy them. Also, encourage your students to create a funny story by writing down a sentence from each child. Circle all of the sight words they use.
Hand Activity Sight Words – To help children recognize sight words automatically and make them stick, teach them the attributes of the words using Learning Without Tears’ Hand Activity Method.
Some lowercase letters are tall (b,f,h), some are small (a, e, n), and some are descending (j, p, y). Have them use their hands to spell out the words or use the hands and letters from LWT’s Magnetic Lowercase & Blackboard Set to help them visualize the words. Also, consider highlighting other attributes of words—like the number of letters, consonants, and vowels—in order to help students connect with sight words.
Explicitly teaching children sight words in a fun, engaging manner will help to build their reading rate, fluency, and confidence. Sight words will build a solid foundation for students to become proficient readers. Have fun!
What a kindergartner should know and be able to do. A new standard for preschool education has been introduced
August 24, Minsk / Corr. BELTA/. The educational standard for preschool education was approved by the Decree of the Ministry of Education of August 4, 2022 No. 228, BelTA informs with reference to the National Legal Internet Portal.
The educational standard establishes requirements for the results of mastering the program of preschool education, the content of educational and program documentation, the terms for obtaining education and the organization of the educational process. It is mandatory for use in educational institutions, sanatorium-resort and health-improving organizations that implement the educational program of preschool education.
The document defines the main components of the education process. Among them are ideological, civil, patriotic, spiritual, moral and aesthetic education, education of psychological and physical culture, the formation of healthy lifestyle skills, labor and professional education, etc. , as well as with the active participation of children in educational activities. For example, by the age of seven, a child can retell short tales and stories; name the words of the Belarusian and Russian languages that are the same or similar in pronunciation, but have different lexical meanings; name seasonal changes in inanimate nature, the world of plants and animals, clothes, work, nature and children's games; notice and name camouflage coloration (for example, butterflies, grasshoppers, sparrows, frogs, hares) and correlate with those natural objects that they disguise themselves as; name the rules of safe behavior in the process of interaction with plants and animals in the forest, in the meadow, in the pond; solve simple arithmetic problems for addition and subtraction; distinguish and name geometric shapes, count up to 20; to distinguish the real and imaginary world, the real consequences of actions, deeds from the imaginary, substantiating their conclusions; read poetry expressively.
In addition, he can give his address, phone numbers (home, parents, various services), tell how to behave in potentially dangerous situations at home, on the street, in nature, as well as about his native village, country, its capital and its attractions.
When organizing the educational process, a competency-based approach, protecting the life and health of pupils, observing sanitary and epidemiological requirements, creating conditions for the development of creative abilities of pupils, providing social and pedagogical support for pupils and providing them with psychological assistance, as well as creating special conditions for receiving education by children with special needs of psychophysical development.
Decree No. 228 comes into force on September 1, 2022.-0-
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what a kindergartener should know and be able to
Be able to retell fairy tales and stories, count to 20, distinguish between geometric shapes, name words of the Belarusian and Russian languages that are the same or similar in pronunciation , but have different lexical meanings - this is not the whole list of skills that a preschooler should have according to the new standard of preschool education.
The Mayak journalist went to the Bolshevik sanatorium nursery garden to find out how our children correspond to the new standards of preschool education.
The Bolshevik sanatorium nursery garden is one of the best preschool educational institutions in the region. Today it is attended by more than 70 pupils. In it, children receive not only preschool education, but also health improvement. According to head Svetlana Balabanovich, only children with certain medical indications can enter the institution:
— Only children with a certificate from the VKK can be enrolled in our nursery. Basically, these are children with reduced immunity, with cardiovascular diseases, with chronic laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis. Here they undergo various wellness procedures: preventive or therapeutic massage, quartz tube, inhalation, heating, electrophoresis. Also, our children receive a full five meals a day.
In addition to health improvement, a number of educational activities are carried out with the pupils of the Bolshevik nursery school aimed at the comprehensive development of the child.
Great attention is paid to the patriotic education of preschoolers. For example, starting from a younger age, children sing the National Anthem every morning, and a colorful patriotic corner with key national symbols of our country is decorated in all groups. For each public holiday, teachers, together with children, prepare theatrical performances.
— A new educational standard for preschool education has been approved since the current academic year. It lists the main components of the process of raising children. Among them - ideological, civil and patriotic, spiritual, moral, aesthetic education; the formation of healthy lifestyle skills, physical improvement, as well as the education of a culture of life and leisure. Our pupils have been attending the “Fitness for Preschoolers” circle for more than a year, where they practice on fitballs and step platforms. We pay great attention to the rules of safe behavior on the water, in the forest, when interacting with animals and plants.
Each group has a colorful safety corner, and the nursery garden has a safety room, which we are very proud of, - says Svetlana Balabanovich.
We decided to find out if the pupils of the Bolshevik nursery-garden meet the requirements that apply to preschool children according to the new standards. Therefore, we went to the older group and asked the children several questions covering key aspects of the preschool education program.
Out of 10 children, 8 can count to 20, one preschooler can count to 100 and has the skills of addition and subtraction. Everyone was able to recite the poem from memory and distinguish the basic geometric shapes. The question of what country they live in, what language they speak and who is the Head of State, did not cause any difficulty. We conclude: the pupils of the Bolshevik sanatorium nursery-garden meet the requirements for preschoolers according to the new standard. This suggests that the educational process is well established in the institution itself.
