April 16, 2026
The goal of reading ALL words is to read them as if by sight. This means that we can look at a word and recognize it instantly because our brains are using four important processors to recognize that word. Sight word instruction should address all four of these processors so students can build connections and recognize words on sight. Check out how-to teach sight words in kindergarten to strengthen instruction in your classroom.
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Do you often get confused with terminology regarding words? Let’s take a closer look at the differences among sight words, high-frequency words, and irregular (heart) words. Remember – Most words are decodable and follow patterns or rules students will learn.
👀Sight Words – A sight word refers to any word that is instantly recognized and read.
⬆️High Frequency Words – High frequency words are the words that are most commonly seen words in the English language.
❤️Irregular or Heart Sounds – These are words with patterns students don’t know YET or with an irregular part. Only 37 words in the English language are truly irregular.
Reading a word by sight may seem like a simple task, but there is a lot going on in the brain for you to recognize that word by sight. Let’s take a look at the four-part processing model and how these processes work together to make sense of every word you read.
🧠Phonological Processor – The sounds. When we hear or see a word, our brain connects the letters or symbols with the sounds they make.
🧠Orthographic Processor – The letters. When you hear or read a word, your brain creates a picture of the letters in your mind.
🧠Meaning Processor – The different meanings. Your brain thinks of all the known meanings for the word.
🧠Context Processor – The intended meaning. Your brain connects the intended meaning based on full context of use.
So how do we put all of these processors together to help our students turn words into sight words? Keep reading!
It’s important that phonics instruction is explicit and systematic. It doesn’t have to be complicated! Follow this simple routine when moving words to sight words.
👄Say the Word – Say the word and have students repeat the word. Use it in a sentence to give meaning and context. Break apart the sounds in the word.
🗺️Orthographically Map – Tap it, Map it, Graph it. Spell each sound in the word. Every sound gets its own sound box. Talk about tricky spelling and mark if needed.
We can’t stress the importance of orthographic mapping enough. It strengthens the bond between what is heard and what is seen. Orthographic mapping allows us to store sight words in our brain for quick retrieval.
📖Write & Read – Rewrite the word. Reread the word from your writing. Apply the word in reading when ready.
You’re well on your way to all words becoming sight words. Here are some additional tips & resources to make reading by sight a success in your classroom.
What about irregular words or heart sounds? Remember that most words are decodable, but there may be parts of words students don’t know YET. These words are temporarily irregular, but that doesn’t mean you can’t expose students to these words. Use these moments as teachable moments and tell students about the concept or sound. You will take a deeper dive on these sounds as you move through explicit phonics instruction.
The goal remains the same! We want to store the letters in these words as mental pictures for easy retrieval. The same procedures and activities can be used when working with irregular or temporarily irregular words. This is also true for the 37 words in the English language that are truly irregular!
What sight word tips & routines do you find effective in your classroom? Please tag us on Instagram here or share inside the Simply Kinder Teacher Facebook Group here.
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