Sight Word Fluency

Oh people.  I somehow went straight from Napa Round Two-Happy 19th Wedding Anniversary-Life is All About Wine and Naps to straight up School is in Session-Get Busy-Get Distracted-Fix That-Wait-What Was I Supposed to be Doing?

I’ve gone to school three days in a row and each day I get more work done than I did the day before.  Which means I’m getting more productive the more tired I get, which might seem strange, but it’s how I operate.  Shoulder shrug.

I go back *officially* tomorrow for staff meetings and how are you’s and team building.  And you know how my school is all about food so we’ll start by having breakfast and then we’ll also have lunch.  🙂

The kids come on a Wednesday (can I get a Hallelujah for a mid-week start?!) and our Parent Information Night is the very next night.  Which is completely nuts, but I voted for that date so I must have thought it was a good idea at the time.

So now . . . instead of just prepping for the kids on Wednesday, I’m prepping for the parents on Thursday!

GULP.

One of the things I like to have ready for the parents is our Sight Word Fluency program.

I’ve blogged about this before, but if you’re new, stick around!  🙂

It’s a TAKE HOME sight word program.  Students work at their own pace AT HOME.  The idea is that parents cut the page in half to keep one half at home for extra practice, and the other half comes back signed when their child is ready to “test”.

By “test”, I mean read the sight words quickly with fluency.

Now, you all know I have a big class size.  So far, my current list has 29 kiddos.

I don’t test my kids when the lists are returned because 1) no and 2) I said no.

I utilize upper grade students for this job because 1) they love it and 2) my kids love it and 3) our principal loves it and 4) the parents love it.

You could also have a parent volunteer run this job.

Once the student “passes” the list, you give them the next list.

I keep everything in that crate (by the way, I tried using slip sheets in a binder for this and I only lasted about three months before I couldn’t take it anymore and switched back to using the file crate) including the student grid so that I can keep track of who is where and what is what.  However, my upper grade students keep track for me!  🙂  But that way, if I get a note or an email from a parent saying that they can’t find their current list, could I please send home another, I just check the grid and voila!  I put the list that student needs in their cubby and I look super smart and efficient which is my main goal in life, if you didn’t know.

Here are the most frequently asked questions I get regarding this program:

Do you start all of your kids on list 1?

Our kinder team uses this program, too, so we start kids where they left off.  If I get a new kid, I “pre-assess” them to find out where they are.  It’s up to you how you’d like to do it, though!

What do you do if a student doesn’t pass the list?

Well, I (my upper grade students) write a quick note at the top that says something like “Great effort!  Please practice some more!”

What do you do if a student misses only one on the list?

I add that word to the next list so that the student can keep practicing it.  You could also just “pass” them.  Or you could send it back home.  It’s whatever makes you happy!

What do you do if a student never turns a list in?

I have my upper grade students check for these kiddos once a week.  Then they pull them one-on-one and have a little intervention session.  Sometimes, the student knows all of the words!  So I have the upper grader keep “testing” the student until they find a list that the kiddo can’t “pass”.  And we send that list home in the hopes that someone might work with that child.  But if not, my upper grade students will or parent volunteers will.

What do you consider “passing” a list? 

Again, it’s all up to you, but if a student of mine is missing more than two words, that’s where I stop them.  They need more practice.

What do you do if they finish all of the lists?

I have them start all over and spell them for an extra challenge!

What reward/incentive do you give kids for passing a list?

My kids earn gold tags for turning in lists.  I also give out an award for kids who pass all 30 lists!

Do you still work on sight words in class?

YES!  YES YES YES!  🙂

I think that’s pretty much all the questions I get asked.  Honestly Really Truly . . . you’re the teacher so do what works for YOU!

By the way, I don’t always have all of my lists on colored paper.

But when I do . . . they sure look pretty!!

🙂