Both parents and teachers want children to learn how to read and succeed in school, but sometimes, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. During the initial phases of reading development, young children learn sight words. But what exactly are sight words, and why are they important? This post will give you an overview of the typical Kindergarten sight words and an organized sight words list teachers and parents can use to plan instruction.
What are Sight Words?
Sight words are commonly used words that readers should be able to recognize instantly without sounding them out. They are typically high-frequency words that appear often in texts.
Some sight words can be decoded phonetically. Some cannot. Some words can be decoded, but not at the child’s current phonics level.
Sight words play a significant role in building a solid foundation for reading. They help children enhance reading speed, accuracy, and comprehension. Children will encounter common sight words as they progress through their reading journey. Early readers must recognize them quickly and effortlessly.
How Many Sight Words Should Students Learn in Kindergarten?
The number of sight words kindergarteners learn can vary from school to school, but typically, students are expected to learn around 20 to 50 sight words by the end of their kindergarten school year.
Why is there such a vast range of words?
There used to be a strong emphasis on sight word memorization. Teachers used the Dolch sight word list or Fry’s list of sight words in the past, each containing 100s of important sight words. Students would use flashcards and repetitive practice to memorize the lists of words. The more words memorized, the better.
What New Reading Research Says about Learning Sight Words
That has changed in the past ten years with the emergence of new reading research. Schools are at different places in their implementation of this new research.
New reading research suggests that more emphasis should be placed on teaching children to decode words rather than memorize words. Sight words should be taught within the context of phonics instruction, not separate from it.
As I mentioned before, some sight words are decodable. Some are not. Some are not yet decodable by the reader. Sight words fall into those three categories.
The range of sight words kindergarten kids are expected to learn depends on how words are classified. It is essential to understand that the focus is not on the quantity of sight words but on building a solid foundation of phonics skills.
How Should Kindergarteners Learn Sight Words?
New Science of Reading research has given us more insight into how kids learn to read. It emphasizes phonemic awareness and phonics skills over word memorization.
Sight word learning should be integrated into phonics lessons. Students are taught to look for letters and sounds they recognize and identify the unfamiliar parts. This allows students to map unknown sounds to known sounds. To do this, teachers must understand which parts of a word are decodable and which parts are unfamiliar to students.
The Heart Word Method for Learning Sight Words
The Heart Word Method is a new, research-based method for teaching sight words based on the Science of Reading. It helps students focus on what they know and identify unfamiliar phonics patterns that must be memorized by heart.
Not all sight words are heart words. Heart words also fluctuate as students progress through their reading journey.
Lists of Kindergarten Sight Words
This section will provide you with a comprehensive sight words list for Kindergarten, categorized according to their phonics patterns. They are loosely in order of when they should be taught; however, each reading program will teach the words in a slightly different order.
Sight Words that are Typically Learned First
To read simple sentences, students need to know 10-15 words when they start phonics instruction. The following list is a great place to begin. These are essential words that connect other words to form simple sentences.
- the
- a
- I
- to
- and
- was
- for
- you
- is
- of
Decodable Sight Words
The following sight word list consists of decodable sight words that can be taught as children move through their phonics program. Children generally encounter these words when taught phonics patterns during the school year.
Students will not move straight down this list of VC and CVC words. Students will likely learn the words with short a, then words with short i, short o, short u, and finally words with short e. Digraphs may be taught toward the end of the year or more toward the middle of the year.
Use the following lists to understand how sight words are grouped by phonics pattern in Kindergarten and use it as a springboard for your own sight word instruction.
Vowel-Consonant Sight Words
The following words are vowel-consonant or VC words.
- at
- am
- an
- it
- in
- if
- on
- off
- up
- us
Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Sight Words
The following list of CVC words are decodable sight words commonly taught in Kindergarten.
- had
- hot
- can
- ran
- run
- him
- but
- did
- cut
- get
- yes
- will
- big
- red
- six
- well
- sit
- let
- not
- tell
- got
- ten
Decodable Words with Digraphs
The following list is decodable sight words that contain digraphs. These words are commonly taught in Kindergarten, but students may not master them until first grade.
- that
- with
- then
- them
- this
- much
- pick
- wish
- when
- which
Other Decodable Sight Words to Teach in Kindergarten
The following list of words are decodable words. Traditional reading programs generally do not teach these phonics patterns until first grade.
These can be introduced as sight words; however, consider teaching them as decodable words. If children can segment and blend the sounds during phonemic awareness activities, they may be ready to read these words in print.
Alternatively, teach them as Heart Words, where some sounds are decodable, and some sounds need to be memorized.
- and
- just
- must
- fast
- best
- went
- ask
- its
- jump
- help
- stop
- black
- for
- or
- her
- he
- she
- be
- we
- me
- go
- so
- no
- my
- by
- try
- take
- make
- made
- ate
- like
- play
- say
- see
- eat
- read
- out
- down
- look
- good
- new
- saw
- very
- what
- said
Kids make patterns in their heads. Grouping words by phonics pattern will help students commit them to long-term memory. They will naturally see similarities and differences in words and sounds.
Activities to Teach Sight Words
Having a list of sight words is a great place to start. Considering the list of kindergarten sight words above, you might be looking for sight word activities your students can do to help them memorize your curated list of words.
Kids benefit from hands-on and paper-pencil activities throughout their learning of sight words. Sight word games, flashcards, and sight word worksheets can all be used in tandem to practice sight words.
Simple Sentences to Practice Kindergarten Sight Words
Teachers and parents can create interactive and engaging practice exercises for their kindergarteners by incorporating sight words into simple sentences.
Here are some sentence examples that incorporate some of the above kindergarten sight words:
- I see a cat.
- She has a bat.
- He can read.
- The dog is big.
- The cat sat on the mat.
- A dog can run.
- I see a big red sun.
- The hen is in the pen.
- We can go up the hill.
- He got a hot pot.
- A fox is in the box.
- The man has a pan.
- I like to hop on top.
- The rat ran to the van.
- She can sit on the kit.
- A bug is on the rug.
- The pig is big and fat.
- He can win the tin bin.
- A bat and a hat on the mat.
- The cat has a fat rat.
- The dog will dig.
Children can practice recognizing and reading words in context using sight words within simple sentences and sight word stories. Encourage students to read the sentences aloud, pointing to each word. This activity helps develop their reading fluency and comprehension skills while reinforcing their sight word knowledge.
While each child’s path to literacy is unique, children go through distinct stages while learning to read. Patience, encouragement, and adaptive teaching methods, like the Heart Word Method and thoughtfully structured activities, can turn the mundane task of memorizing sight words into an adventure of language learning and discovery.
Jessica shares her passion for teaching and education on What I Have Learned. Jessica has 16 years of elementary teaching experience and currently homeschools her two middle school boys. She enjoys scaffolding learning for students, focusing on helping our most challenging learners achieve success in all academic areas.
#Kindergarten #Sight #Words #Lists #Phonics #Patterns
More Stories
New Music: Glowreeyah Braimah Releases Brand New Single ‘Rivers Flow’
29 Quick Games to Play in the Classroom
Audio & Video: Princess Kay – Able God