Sight word Woes!!!!

A comment I receive every year is, "My child knows the sight words at home but doesn't know them at school."

Well, I am testing on mastery.  This is a SIGHT word test - assessing the words that your child truly knows on sight.  Mastery is 2 seconds and I am testing at 3 second intervals.  So, at home, you probably give longer time without realizing it, perhaps a little bit of a clue or maybe your child just has some testing anxiety.  However, if he or she truly know the word on sight, 3 seconds is plenty of time to say the word.  Some children are relying on sounding out the word.  If they do sound it out and say it within 3 seconds I mark the word as correct.  If they say the wrong word and then self-correct, I mark it correct.  The best way to alleviate testing anxiety is for your child to feel well practiced!  I always ask them if they have studied before the test.....and they are very truthful!

I know it is frustrating to go over the same words each week but the first 25 are the most difficult to learn.  Once these are mastered the rest come easier as your child starts to see the patterns in language.
Some tips again:

• look for hidden words (that - at)
• when you see 'th' stick out your tongue!
• use the Jolly Phonics actions to sound out
• clap the sounds
• play SWAT
• put the most difficult words on the fridge.

However, the best practice is nightly practice!  Again, practicing only once or twice a week is just not enough for most students.  You don't have to practice long - 10 minutes tops will do.

Hope that helps and if you have any more concerns please give me a call!