Sight Word Data Wall

Monitoring Sight Word Goals

Monitoring Sight Word Goals is easy with a Sight Word Data Wall!

Sight words play a vital role in a student’s reading fluency. I begin each year assessing my 2nd graders on the first 100 Fry Word List and move them up based on their ability to identify the words with ease.  I monitor each individual student. The students that are able to fluently identify the first 100 Fry Words continue to move up each level at their own pace. Students, who struggle will move at a pace that is accommodating to them.  I create a list of words for each individual student based on the words that they missed on the oral assessment.

I use resource materials from the Curriculum Corner to help me track and monitor my students’ progress.  Tracking and monitoring word goal and achievements can be motivating to the teacher and students, as well as to the parents.

Assessing Sight Words Procedures

Students say their words aloud each week. Fortunately, I have a teacher assistant present in my room to help assist with this very important task. We take advantage of all the opportunities we can as not to interrupt instructional time. For example, we may call a student over to say their words during whole class bathroom break while they are waiting in line.
I keep a Data Notebook with each student’s checklist.  The goal is for 2nd graders to master 395 Fry Words by the end of the year. Therefore, to celebrate their accomplishments, I reward them with stickers and certificates.

Sight Word Data Wall

To monitor and motivate long term goals, I created a Sight Word Data Wall. I decided to use a racing theme.

I used my Cricut to make a couple of Racing Character Paper Dolls and to cut out my letters. Next, I glued 8 paper pockets onto a piece of poster board (which were cut to the size I needed for the area on my wall). The goal is for each student to move up with every 50 words that they master. I put each of my student’s names on an ice cream craft stick. Each time they mastered 50 words they moved up a level. I found this to be a successful motivator for my students this year.

You might also like to see how I turned a compound sticker word set into an activity that can be used again and again!