1. What is the sight word method?
It is also called the whole word method and functions on the basis
that a word has a shape or a configuration, which can be used to
recognise it or read it.
Steps:
• See the word
• Say it
• Point out the salient features
• Highlight the look of the word
• Use it
• Define it
• Write it Continued…..
1

2. Principles:
• The objective is to achieve reading fluency –no fluent reader reads
letter by letter.
• Words have a shape. Use the child’s photographic memory to
register the shape.
• Choose words that are meaningful to the children.
• They must be words that a child uses in his / her speech or
encounters in his / her environment.
• The size or the length of the word does not matter as long as the
child can ‘identify’ with it.
• Start with nouns and simultaneously moving on to verbs and
adjectives. Continued…..
2

3. • Plenty of repetition is needed.
• Write all sight words using the same colour marker (or children may
identify the word by colour rather than shape)
• Preferably write all sight words using only the print or Marion.
• Richardson script (majority of reading is done in small lower case
letters)
• Do not ever spell the word letter by letter (then it is not whole word)
• Build a text with some of the sight words.
• The whole word method gives fluency and speed.
• Children get confidence and feel that reading is easy.
3