This Let's Read emergent readers activity is a cut-and-tape mini book for PreK to 1st grade that builds sight word fluency. Answer key included for the practice page.
Little words, big reading power!
Dolch words are a list of common words kids see again and again in books. The pre-primer list is where preschoolers start, with tiny but mighty words like the, a, I, see, and, go, can, look. Little ones learn to recognize these words by sight instead of sounding them out, which helps them read simple sentences sooner. They spot them in favorite picture books and point them out on signs. The best moment is when a preschooler reads "I can see" in a little book and grins from ear to ear!
With preschoolers we keep sight words short, sweet and playful. A few words at a time is plenty.
Read a short emergent reader and point to each word as you go. Pause on the sight word and let kids say it. Seeing the word in a real sentence shows them why it matters.
Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).
Try it withLet's Read Emergent Readers ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Add one new sight word to a train each week and review the old cars every day. Little ones love watching the train grow, and the daily ride keeps every word fresh.
Why it works: spreading practice out over days is one of the two most effective study methods in a major research review (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).
Try it withChoo-Choo Train Sight Words WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Put sight words on paper apples and let kids pick one off the tree to read. A friendly picture turns word practice into a little harvest.
Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).
Try it withApple Orchard Dolch Words WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Teacher favorites right now: Choo-Choo Train Sight Words Worksheet, Apple Orchard Dolch Words Worksheet and Let's Read Emergent Readers Activity.
Preschoolers usually start with the Dolch pre-primer list, which includes simple words like the, a, I, see, can, go and look. These words show up in almost every early book.
A few sight words can help preschoolers feel like readers, as long as it stays playful. Focus on fun practice and lots of read-alouds rather than drilling.
There is no set number. Many preschoolers learn a handful of pre-primer words, and that is a great start before kindergarten.
Pick one or two words, write them big and play games like hide and seek with them. Point them out in bedtime stories so your child sees them in real books.
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