Review of research on sight word instruction

doi:10.1016/0891-4222(91)90008-G

Research in Developmental Disabilities

Volume 12, Issue 3, 1991, Pages 203-228

https://doi.org/10.1016/0891-4222(91)90008-G Get rights and content

Abstract

This review of 20 years of literature on sight word instruction for individuals with handicaps identifies several effective procedures. These procedures are described for the two types of learning required in sight word instruction — word recognition and comprehension. Criteria for procedural selection are recommended. Research limitations are critiqued with suggestions provided for further evaluation of sight word instruction.

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Word identification

Cited by (54)

Using a picture-embedded method to support acquisition of sight words
2020, Learning and Instruction
Citation Excerpt :
Given the value of teaching high-frequency words to young children, teachers are encouraged to promote mastery of these words with great efficiency in the early years of schooling (Fry & Kress, 2012). Because of the value and wide use of sight word training in reading acquisition, a significant body of research has focused on teaching both typically developing children and children with learning disabilities to recognize sight words (Blackwell & Laman, 2013; Browder & Lalli, 1991; Ehri, 2005; Blischak & McDaniel, 1995; Van der Bijl, Alant, & Lloyd, 2006; and many others). One strategy for teaching sight words that has been the focus of a number of studies is to pair vocabulary words with corresponding pictures to help children form an association between the written word and its meaning (Elliott & Zhang, 1998).
This study investigated whether an intervention using words embedded with pictures can be more effective in sight word instruction than one using words alone. Participants included sixty-nine children in junior kindergarten (ages 4–5) enrolled in school in Ontario, Canada. Children were split randomly into treatment and control groups; the treatment group was taught four words using picture-embedded words, and the control group was taught using text alone. Both groups also received phonics instruction to support sight word acquisition. Children in the picture-embedded word condition performed significantly higher than those in the word-alone condition on an immediate post-training test and later retention tests. This outcome, which contrasts with previous studies using picture-embedded words, may result from this method's use of a relevant linking phrase and action that help build an association between picture and word, as well as its incorporation of phonics instruction, with future work needed to test this hypothesis.
Using simultaneous prompting to teach sounds and blending skills to students with moderate intellectual disabilities
2009, Research in Developmental Disabilities
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of simultaneous prompting on acquisition of letter-sound correspondences and blending skills of previously taught words for three elementary students with moderate intellectual disabilities, and to measure generalization of those skills to untaught words. The three students were first taught to read five nouns using sight-word instruction. After acquisition of the five words the students were taught letter-sound correspondences and to blend the sounds in order to apply word-analysis skills. All the students demonstrated application of letter-sound correspondences and blending skills to read the five sight words and the untaught, generalization words. This study took place across two partial academic school years and therefore provides regression and recoupment data for the students.
Exploring the frequency contours in close reading texts
2024, Reading and Writing
What teachers know about teaching reading to students with developmental disabilities: A survey of special educators
2022, Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Research-Based Practices for Emergent Bilinguals with Moderate Intellectual Disability: A Review of Literature
2021, Journal of Latinos and Education
Digital Books with Dynamic Text and Speech Output: Effects on Sight Word Reading for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder
2019, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

View all citing articles on Scopus

^∗: Joseph S. Lalli is now at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

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Review of research on sight word instruction

Abstract

Teaching sight words: A comparison between computer-assisted and teacher-taught methods

Education and Training in Mental Retardation

An evaluation of transfer of stimulus control and of comprehension in sight word reading for children with mental retardation and emotional disturbance

School Psychology Review

A treatment package for increasing sight word recognition for use in daily living skills

Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded

Teaching trainable level students to read unconjugated action verbs

Journal of Special Education

Teaching functional reading to young trainable students: Toward longitudinal objectives

Journal of Special Education

Teaching functional reading to trainable level retarded students

Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded

Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research

Attentional mode for the effectiveness of fading in training reading-vocabulary with retarded persons

American Journal of Mental Deficiency

The use of a faded technique in paired associate teaching of a reading-vocabulary with retardates

Mental Retardation

Teaching simple reading vocabulary to retarded children: Effectiveness of fading and nonfading procedures

American Journal of Mental Deficiency

Edmark Reading Program

Edmark Reading Program Software

Incidental teaching of mentally retarded students within a token system

American Journal of Mental Deficiency

Teaching functional reading to the TMR

Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded

Comparison of constant time delay and the system of least prompts in teaching sight word reading to students with moderate retardation

Education and Training in Mental Retardation

A further investigation of prompting and confirmation in sight vocabulary learning by retardates

American Journal of Mental Deficiency

Word identification