In this one-hour, on-going class, students will learn, practice and review sight words.  We will cover both spelling and word application in context.  Although there may be some review during classes, your child need not enroll in every class, as each class will cover five new sight words. We will use the same strategies in each class, including a new story in each session; only the sight words will change. 

We will begin each class by using flash cards to review the new sight words.  Students will be provided the opportunity to "show what they know" first by either reading the sight word OR simply saying "pass." I will help them directly with this segment. We will go through the five sight words numerous times using silly voices to both read and spell them aloud.  

Students will then be asked to write the 5 new sight words along the top of their own paper.  During the read aloud, students will shout "stop" when they see one of our target sight words.  I will circle that word as students write that word under the matching word on their own paper. (Creating 5 columns, one for each sight word).  At the end of the story, we will count the amount of each sight word to see if our amounts match the teacher's "master tally." The amount of sight words in all AND each sight word in the order in which they appear, will be visible on the bottom of each story slide. (Example: "Sight Words: 3" and "of, him, stop") 

Using these strategies (reading, spelling aloud, searching for and identifying, writing) students are provided verbal, visual AND hands on reinforcement. (Not to mention a bit of math: adding, counting, charts, columns, greater-than, less-than, most-least-equal to.) 

In a relaxed classroom atmosphere, students will learn to spell and apply target sight words as we have fun reading a story and searching for sight words. (They won't even know they're learning!)  As a teaching strategy, my classroom is structured to maximize personal student abilities as well as the growth of student confidence.  A student's ability to retain information increases proportionately to his or her level of comfort and confidence.  In a relaxed and supportive atmosphere, students learn to feel more comfortable. They learn to trust their own minds as they step out of their "comfort zones" to answer questions and solve the unknowns: true learning has begun!

This on-going class will continue for 8 weeks, after which we will cycle back to Week 1 target words.  The class structure will remain the same for each class; only the target vocabulary will vary. I have provided examples from the first four classes.

One last thing, even though an hour might seem a long time for this age-range, believe me, whether with one student or four, the time goes fast!  (If you do not see a time and date that fits your family's schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I will be happy to adjust my schedule if possible.)

Week 7: 
Sight Words: by, has, live, round, walk
Story: "A Gift in the Grass"

Week 8: 
Sight Words: could, her, may, some, where, when
Story: "Betsy Bee's Favorite Guest"

Week 1: 
Sight Words: after, every, him, of, stop
Story: "The Very Fast Boy"

Week 2: 
Sight Words: again, fly, his, old, take 
Story: "The Very Old Man"