Say It, Build It, Read It: Making Sight Words Stick

← All free reading lessons

Does your child know a word one day and forget it the next? In this lesson your child hears a word, builds it from its sounds, and reads it back. Linking every sound to its letters gives a word something to hold on to, so it is easier to remember tomorrow.

What Your Child Will Practice

• Saying each sound in a word
• Matching each sound to its letters
• Building and writing a word, then reading it back
• Finding the word in a short sentence

Before You Start

Pick three words your child keeps forgetting, or use can, did, and was. Write each letter of each word on its own small square of paper. Have a pencil and paper ready.

Tell your child: “Today we’ll look at every part of a word, so we can remember it tomorrow.”

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Say it and count it (2 minutes).
Say the first word, “can.” Your child says it back. Then say it slowly together and hold up one finger for each sound: /k/ /a/ /n/. “How many sounds? Three!” Keep each sound short and clean: say /k/, not “kuh.”

Step 2: Build it (2 minutes).
Your child finds the letter squares for each sound and lines them up in order, saying each sound as they place it. Point out that the /k/ sound in “can” is spelled with the letter c.

Step 3: Read it back (1 minute).
Your child touches each letter and says its sound, then sweeps a finger under the whole word and blends it: “can!” If they guess, smile and say, “Let’s check every letter,” and touch the letters again.

Step 4: Mix, rebuild, and write (3 minutes).
Mix up the squares; your child builds the word again. Then cover the squares and say the word. Your child writes it on paper, saying each sound, and reads it back. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 with the other two words.

Step 5: Notice the tricky part (1 minute).
For “was,” talk about which letters match the sounds and which part is surprising: the w matches its sound, the s says /z/ here, and the a does not sound like the a in “can.” Draw a small star over the a as the part to remember.

Step 6: Find it in a sentence (1 minute).
Write: Rocky was sad. He did not get the duck. Can he get it next time? Your child reads it and circles each practice word.

Quick Practice Activity: Rocky’s Duck Hunt

Write each practice word on a card, plus two words your child already knows well. Hide the cards around the room. They are Rocky’s ducks!

1. Your child finds a card and reads it, touching each letter first if they need to.
2. They flip it over and try to write the word from memory, then turn it back to check.
3. Every word read and written correctly is one more duck for Rocky’s pond.

Play the hunt again tomorrow and the next day, with the cards in new spots.

Tips for Parents

• Work on just three to five words at a time.
• Shuffle the cards so your child can’t remember them by order.
• If matching letters to sounds stays hard after plenty of short practice, talk with your child’s teacher.

What’s Next?

Wondering why your child forgets sight words? Read Like Rocky, the 12-week at-home program by Dr. Nancy Barker, Ed.D., starts with a free assessment that shows you where to begin.

Take the free reading assessment