92 words. 100 words. It doesn’t matter which list you use – Dolch, Fry’s, or your own. Mastering sight words is a key factor in reading success with little learners. That makes progress monitoring for sight words important.
But the task of tracking it all can seem so daunting. How do you keep students motivated? How do you get parents engaged to help support what you are doing in the classroom? How do you actually track the students’ progress?
Every time I thought of it all, my head would spin. I had to figure out a better, more efficient way to do it all. And I did. I created a sight word monitoring system that is simple, user-friendly, and effective at tracking students’ progress throughout the year.
Kindergarten Sight Words: An Editable Progress Monitoring System has everything you’ll need in one, organized place. Let me show you what’s included and how you can use it in your classroom.
I began by breaking up the Dolch sight word list into groups for each six week grading period. I added the words for colors and numbers because they are just too important to leave out. 😉 I put each of the six sets on a ring. This made it a breeze to assess the words at the end of each week.
Yes, yes my friends. I found a time that didn’t interrupt regular instruction time. The weekly assessment only takes a minute. You can test your students during:
While students unpacked for the day, waited for classmates to finish up, or completed work, I listened to them read their weekly sight words. As they read the words, I used my checklist to keep track of what they got correct and what they missed.
If they gave an incorrect response, I wrote their response. This was great for RTI data. It also allowed me to look for patterns in their reading. 
The students used their data folders to keep track of the sight words they had mastered and the ones they still needed to work on. For each grading period, there is a new sheet. They always loved being able to color more bubble gums!
We celebrated each student by giving them a certificate if they mastered all of the words for those 6 weeks. Even if it was the 3rd six weeks and a student was just mastering the first set, we celebrated!
I like to keep everything I need all together in my binder.
Inside the binder I keep the notes that go home with the sight word baggies, student certificates, and our sight word pacing map. Behind each divider I keep a checklist page for each student for each of words.
At the end of the day, I have a binder that has valuable data and keeps me on track with progress monitoring for sight words every week. It’s convenient, simple, and helpful.
For students who need more sight word practice beyond what we do in the classroom, I call on parents to help. Best thing ever! Seriously.
I make flashcards for each student based on the words that they have not yet mastered. I place the cards in a baggie and send it home in their folder with a note. When they master a word, I take it out of their baggie. I don’t do this for every child. But for my low students who just needed more practice at home, this simple and easy system provided just that.
Grab the note to send home with your parents HERE for FREE.
If you’re ready to make tracking sight word data easy, head to my store and pick up your own Sight Words: An Editable Progress Monitoring System.
How do you keep track of progress monitoring for sight words? Do you have a system that works? I’d love to hear more about it!
pin it
Want to use the latest research to boost your readers during small groups? This FREE guide is packed with engaging ideas to help them grow!
I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
40 Responses
Hey how can i print these sight word log and the way u have done it?
Im a parent and would love to keep track kf my kids!
Hi Aisha! This is part of a product that I sell here. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Sight-Words-An-Editable-Progress-Monitoring-System-724323 You can edit the page by typing the words that your child has and then you can print it out! 🙂
Hi! Do you have a picture of your data wall where you track students progress? I purchased this product but cannot picture how your wall looks with students progress on it.
Hi Karen! Great question! This old blog post has a picture of the data wall. The students’ little bubble gum kiddos aren’t on there yet and I am also seeing that the pictures are blurry! I have no idea what is going on and will try to get that fixed, but I think you can get an idea of it! Let me know if you have any more questions! I am happy to help!
How do I purchase the bubble gum sight word ?
Hi Shelley! You can find it here! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Sight-Words-An-Editable-Progress-Monitoring-System-724323
LOVE THIS! However, I am a little confused do you work on one list for 6 weeks? or one list per week? or is it just until mastery? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Veronica! Yes, I broke all of the words up into 6 sets. Then I focused on a few words each week. At the end of the 6 weeks grading period, I would test ALL of the words. If they hadn’t mastered the previous 6 weeks’ words, then I would test those each week until they did.
3 questions:
1) If a kid struggles with the first list, you only test him on the first list the 2nd 6 weeks, 3rd 6 weeks, and so on until he masters all words on that list? Then, you give him a certificate and move on to the next list the following 6 weeks. Is that right?
2)If a student is repeating a list, do you only test him over the words he is missing, or do you start back with the 1st week words only?
3)Do the students color in their folders each week or at the end of the 6 weeks?
Hi Ashley! Great questions!
1. I always keep testing the child on what words are expected. For example, if at the end of the first 6 weeks I test a child and they don’t know those words, I keep testing them each week until we get to the end of the 2nd 6 weeks. At the end of the 2nd six week I begin testing the 2nd set of words AND I continue to test the 1st set of words until they master them.
2. I usually only tested the words they were missing, unless I was noticing inconsistency. If I was noticing that some weeks they had them and other they didn’t, then I tested the whole list. 🙂
3. When they mastered words, they got to color them. Usually it was each week, but for some who had mastered them when I tested them all, they got to color once a six weeks.
I love your idea! How do you differentiate this for students who can already read 100 words? Thank you!
Hi Alisa! I simply would give them a new set of words! 🙂 The file is editable so I would just assign them different words. 😉
I love this! We are on a nine week grading period schedule, so we have 27 sight words per grading period. Is there a way to add all of these words or does it only allow a certain maximum number of words? Thanks!
Hi Teresa! I have a 9 week product like this, but it is not editable at this time. I’m sorry! You can take a peak to see if it something you could use, though! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Grade-Sight-Words-A-Progress-Monitoring-System-for-Sight-Words-1307749
Thanks for the info! 🙂
Does this download include site words for the entire school year?
Hi Jeanne! It includes the dolch site word list. 🙂
Is this also available for the first 300 Sight Words?
Hi Lisa! It is not, BUT this product is editable and able to be used with any list. You could make several sets of words for each six weeks if you wanted! 🙂
I am interested.how do I get this
Hi Amy! Here is the link! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Sight-Words-An-Editable-Progress-Monitoring-System-724323
Hi Amanda,
Is this editable now?
Hi Lisa! Yes, it is editable. 🙂 Are you asking about a specific part, though? It has been editable for a few years now. 🙂
I love this product! I already track but this one is so much cuter than mine!! Would you mind if I edited to track letters/numbers as well? Thanks!
Hi Katie! Since it’s editable, you can track whatever you’d like. 😉 You just are not allowed to use the templates to create and sell anything.
I can not figure out how to input my words can anyone help me do i have to use a certain program?
Hi Valerie! Did you open the file that is labeled “editable”?
How would I utilize this for first grade?
Could I please see a picture of your data wall?
I just sent you an email with a picture!
Why do you use a truncated font for your flash cards? For example, but looks like aut with the upper part of the b missing.
Do you have a set where the upper parts of the letters aren’t cut or smooshed off?
Hi Joy! That just happened to be my font of choice when I created the system many years ago. It has since been updated. The file is now editable and you are able to use any font you’d like. 🙂
I am a MOWR teacher and find your ides very helpful! Thank you for sharing!
I just purchased your gum all sight words lesson and when I tried to download it on my iPad all I got was strings and strings of letters, symbols and numbers. Nothing useable. Please send me a link for this lesson via email so I can download it on my iMac. Thank you I can’t wait to get started with the lesson. Jeanette
Hi Jeanette! I cannot send you links to download the files. You will need to log in to TpT, go to My Purchases, and there you can download the file as many times as you like to as many devices as you like. 🙂 Let me know if you need anything else!
The nine weeks version is not at all like the gumball six weeks version… do you have a gumball version? And do you know when the nine weeks version will be editable?
It has a different theme. 🙂 At this time I do not know when it will be updated. Many people use the editable gumball version to make it work for their grading periods.