What best characterizes sight word instruction?

• A. Building rapid recognition of high-frequency words that may not follow standard decoding rules
• B. Focusing only on decoding phonetically
• C. Ignoring high-frequency words
• D. Memorizing entire sentences

Answer: (A)

Sight word instruction centers on building fast, automatic recognition of common words, especially those that don’t always follow regular decoding rules. The goal is to help readers see these high-frequency words at a glance so they can read more smoothly and devote mental energy to meaning rather than sounding out every word. Because many commonly used words don’t align neatly with typical phonics patterns, teaching them as whole units through repeated exposure, word walls, flash cards, and practice in connected text helps students become fluent readers faster. This approach complements decoding but is not about focusing only on phonetic rules, nor is it about ignoring high-frequency words or memorizing full sentences.