Download Teaching Sight Words

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Teaching Sight Words
To teach new words or word parts (prefixes, suffixes, morphology, ex. -struct),
teachers may use the following steps for Trace, Copy, Cover, Closed, (TCCC)
which can be combined with Simultaneous Oral Spelling (SOS). (Both TCCC
and SOS are procedures from Orton-Gillingham)
o Teacher writes the target word or feature in large letters on a white board,
using the word’s conventional spelling. (The teacher may choose to use
pronunciation marks to show students how to say the word, but this guide
should be erased prior to TCCC + SOS.)
o Trace—Students trace over the letters with a marker on the big
white board, saying the names of the letters, not the sounds the
letters make.
o Copy—Ss copy the word below the word on the white board
o Cover—Ss then erase the word on the white board and write the
word. (If this is done on the student’s paper. the drag from the
pencil will add a kinesthetic level to their memory.)
o Closed—Ss close their eyes and write the word.
o During all 4 steps, Ss use Simultaneous Oral Spelling (SOS).
They are to say the names of the letters out loud as they write the
words.
2. After using the TCCC+SOS process to teach a new word, the word should
then be written on a pink index card and added to the child’s or group’s word
deck. Words should be written in black. Pronunciation marks should be in red.
Example: “said”:
SAIDS
Date:
Read:
Write:
Said
ě
Said
To use the deck: Each word card should be shown to the student or group for no
more than 3 seconds. After that, it is to be laid down and the next word shown.
Only 1 word should be added to the deck per day, until the student or group has
assembled a deck of 5 cards. Only 5 cards are to be used in the card deck at one
time.
After the student or group has read the word correctly 3 times in a row, the card
can be “retired.” In the upper left-hand corner of the card, on the back, the date
the word was introduced is recorded, as well as the date by which it was read 3
times. The student must also be able to write the word in isolation. Retired cards
should be revisited periodically, about every two weeks.
November 3, 2009
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Other ideas for teaching sight words:
Wearing the word:
The teacher wears the word in a plastic name badge holder. During the lesson
and/or during the day, the teacher will ask the student or group to read the word,
chant it, or spell it.
“Make and Break”:
Magnetic letters for the target word are scrambled on a magnetic board. Students
are asked to figure out what word the letters make. The teacher can also ask the
Ss to put the word in a sentence, verbally and in writing, depending on the needs
of the Ss.
Sentence Puzzles:
Teacher writes a sentence on sentence strips. Next, the strips are cut up
between the words and returned to the students. The Ss read the sentence with
the T as she cuts the words apart. The Ss assemble the sentence. Finally, the
teacher asks for specific words for the Ss to hand her, based on the target of the
lesson. This is a Reading Recovery, Right Start and CLIP strategy.
November 3, 2009