The Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary List contains approximately 50 to 75 percent of the most common words that students will encounter in books. The Dolch list is not composed of words that can be easily related to pictures; instead, the words are adverbs, pronouns, verbs and conjunctions. Students will find these words when they are learning to read library books, and instant sight recognition will help them to process the material.
The sight words should be written on white index cards. You can use black markers or you may write the words using a variety of colors. Make certain that the words can be read easily. When you practice with the flash cards, say the sight word clearly if the student does not know the word and have him to repeat it after you. Begin with five flashcards and, as the child masters those words, you may add more.
To incorporate a multi-sensory approach to sight word learning, have the students air-write the letters of each word after they are identified on flash cards. Air-writing will allow the student to create a tactile sensation of letter formation, and it will reinforce the letter positions in the sight words.
As students become more familiar with the sight words, allow them to make sentences with the words. Students can arrange the sight words and pair up with a partner to create a fun story. For stories, you will need to give the students entertaining subjects to use. For example, tell them to talk about a superhero or a shark. Students will enjoy creating fun sentences that use their sight words.
When practicing sight words, allow the students to play matching games. To play a match game, you will need to have two copies of each sight word. Put the words face down and allow the students to take turns flipping over the cards. When each card is revealed, the student should say the word that he discovers. If a student finds two matching sight words, then he will receive a point.