Instead of pushing through the list, I will pull out the 1st word list. If you are working with a second grader who can’t read the first 10 words on the 2nd word list, imagine how they are going to feel struggling through all 100 words. I always felt like this could really crush a child’s confidence. Some teachers feel that is important to have a child attempt every word on the list you are checking.
You do not want a sight word check to become a point of frustration for any child.
While it might be important that you are checking sight word mastery in order to gather data and then be able to document growth. In 2nd grade, many will begin by checking the second 200 words. In first grade, many will begin by checking the first 100 words. You might decide to test just this child for your own documentation. It is possible you have a child who is already reading and you are curious how many words they know. Instead, they might do a check on letter and number ID. Many kindergarten teachers will not begin the year by checking sight word mastery. First, it is important to know the general breakdown for which sight words should be mastered in each grade level: Kindergarten Sight Wordsįor most students, you would begin assessing children on the word list you would like them to master by the end of the year.
