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Learning Sight Words
Sight words are a vital part of learning to read. Unlike most words, they are usually not decodable. However, due to their high frequency, encountering sight words while reading is inevitable.
There are many ways to learn and practice sight words. While flashcards, worksheets, and hands-on sight word activities all play an important role, practicing sight words in the context of reading is vital to building sight word mastery.
Sight Word Sentences
In order to encourage confidence in reading, I recommend using controlled text when practicing reading sight words in context.
Controlled text means that, thanks to prior learning and picture clues, students should be able to read all of the words in the text.
I’ve created these sight word sentence activities for all of Fry’s first 300 sight words. Even if you do not use Fry’s sight word lists, many of the words overlap with other lists. Most importantly, kids will often encounter all of these words when learning to read!
Using the Sight Word Sentences Worksheets
Here’s how I use these sight word sentence worksheets with my students.
Identify the target Sight Word
The target sight word is always listed on the top left corner of the page. After discussing the word, we decide whether we will be highlighting, coloring, circling, or underlining the word.
My students love to “highlight” with a crayon, but you can use a pencil, crayon, pen, or marker. It’s up to you!
I usually have them find the sight word in each sentence independently.
Review the Picture Clues
This is completely optional, but I like to review the picture clues with my students, especially my ELL/ESL students.
We discuss what word we think the picture represents and find the word in the sentence.
Not only does this frontloading increase student vocabulary, it also helps them feel confident and successful when it’s time to read the sentences!
Read the Sentences
Now it begins! For the first read, we usually read the sight word sentences aloud together.
I like to make sure to model how to read the sentences fluently and encourage tracking words with my finger.
Students color a happy face once every sentence on the page has been read.
Repeated Readings
Let’s build that fluency! It’s not enough to read the page just once. Students should be exposed to repeated readings in order to build fluency (and sight word mastery).
Students must read the entire page at least three times (hence three smiley faces at the bottom).
Don’t worry, we make this fun! During repeated readings, we often read:
- to a partner
- in a whisper voice
- in a scary or silly voice
- to self
- to teacher
Your Free Sight Word Sentences
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You can also find the entire set of 300 Sight Word Sentence Worksheets in my TpT Store!
Related Resources
Editable Sight Word Fluency Worksheets
Are you looking for sight word activities that are specific to YOUR sight word list? Students will LOVE learning (and mastering) sight words with these editable Move & Master Sight Word Fluency Table worksheets.
More FREE Sentence Activities
Do you like the layout of these sight word sentence worksheets? Are you looking for more easy to read sentences for your students? You don’t want to miss my FREE Phonics Sentences Bundle! This free bundle is over 100 pages and it includes decodable sentences for CVC word families, digraphs, blends, long vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and MORE!
