Sight word learning occurs in most early elementary classrooms. Some kindergarten students face the prospect of learning up to 100 sight words, and many teachers feel pressure to ensure that students know lists of words by the year's end. The authors offer five assertions about sight word learning to direct teachers and administrators toward the…

This article introduces SAIL, an instructional framework designed to help teachers optimize students' learning during small-group word study instruction. Small-group word study interactions afford opportunities for teachers to engage students in thinking, talking, advancing vocabulary knowledge (including general academic vocabulary), and making…

This article presents strategies for integrating explicit vocabulary instruction within a reading workshop. The author begins by describing a process for involving students in word selection. The author then provides a weeklong instructional sequence using student-selected words. Finally, the author briefly examines the role of vocabulary…

Presents an updated version of the Instant Word List, based on recent research into word frequencies. Explains why the instant words are important, the basis of the new list, and the uses of the list. (FL)

Documents the high degree of similarity between basic word lists derived from a variety of word lists and the Dolch list. (RB)

Reviews the literature in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) on whole word lists. (RB)

Over three quarters of the Dolch basic words may be taught by a word family approach. (MKM)

Reports on a study comparing the nouns in the Dolch word list with four recently published word lists to determine which nouns are most frequently used. (RB)

Notes that basal series commonly used in kindergarten through grade six teach only about half of the most common English words. Offers a list of 382 common words that do not appear in the books and suggests that teachers supplement their basals with their own word learning lessons. (FL)

Reports a study of fourteen word lists and proposes a basic list of 240 starter words. (TO)

Argues that traditional sight word lists do not include many of the words young learners see on the computer screen. Presents a supplementary list that incorporates such words for computer-assisted instruction in the elementary school. (FL)

Reports the development of a 227-word, primary-level list that was drawn from words appearing in more than 400 books for beginning readers. (FL)