Reviewed by Mary Ellen O’Connor ~ Academic Coach
Updated October 2026
There are many ways to practice high frequency words or the even more difficult sight words. The best way to teach sight words is a technique call “Drill Sandwich.” You essentially sandwich unknown information between known information for the best way to teach sight words.
Sight words are essential to fluent reading. Repeated exposure and memorization are crucial for
students to read fluently and consistently. Students must be able to read these words quickly or decoding will take too much time and effort. When reading takes too long, readers become frustrated and comprehension suffers.
How Can You Teach Sight Words?
Drill Sandwich is the Best Way to Teach Sight Words
The drill sandwich strategy is a research based strategy to help students learn any information (new sight words, math facts, vocabulary, spelling words) by mixing what they know with what they need to learn.
This method is typically more motivating to any learner because the new information is next to something known so it helps alleviate frustration.
Only three new pieces of information needs to be the focus, while still reviewing learned material to help send information to long term memory. Why? Because of the repetition, of course! Learning information in this manner is much more manageable for students, and will help them learn quickly.
How to Build a Drill Sandwich
1.) Make a set of flashcards for the information to be learned. (sight words, math facts, letters, numbers etc.)
2.) Go through the complete stack of cards once, separating the list into two piles – knowns and unknowns. (Hint: Cards are marked known only if the information is automatic. If the learner has to think even for a few seconds ( I usually try to count to 5), then the card should be placed in the unknown pile for more repetition of the information.)
3.) Build a “sandwich” using seven knowns and three unknowns. Be sure to follow the pattern below. (K = known; U = unknown) (KUKKUKKUK)
4.) Have the learner practice identifying all items in the order of knowns and unknowns.
5.) As the unknown items are learned move them into a known section of the sandwich by removing well-known knowns (be sure it is automatic….no guessing!). Add new unknowns and begin the learning process again.
Some students need more time that others. Don’t move on until the words are really known!
Remember to make teaching sight words fun!
Click here to find the assessment resource I use. There are 50 words needed by Kindergarten that include sight words and high frequency words. You can cut them apart to make small words cards to help you sort. I use the cards below to make Drill Sandwich Flash Cards and games to play.
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| Sight Word Cards |
REMEMBER: only practice 3 new words mixed up with 7 words you already know. It can take a period between 25-55 times before the new information goes to long term memory so don’t be worried if it takes some time.
**** Only practice 2-3 times a day!!!**** Keep the practice time short and sweet!
Recognizing high-frequency words by sight primarily involves memorization; and memorization comes most easily through repetition. Remember: PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
Read and Write Sight Words
Students need to read and write high-frequency words as often as possible. Remember, you want kiddos to read/write as quickly as possible.
We read Sight Word Emergent Readers during guided reading! I love that the kiddos can take these home to show off and practice reading! We also read to Ozzie, our therapy dog, and our book buddies. Be sure to check out how we read sight words with Alphabet Poems.
Of course kiddos LOVE to color them, too! You can find them, here!
Quick Writes to Learn Sight Words
Also check out the picture below. I gave the students 1 minute to write all the words they could spell without looking around the room. Then, I record the number written, and the goal is to get more the next time! This is fun word work activity during guided reading or when we have a few extra minutes.
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Sight Word Sorting
Let the kiddos sort the words into words columns based on words they can read. You can see the way one kiddo did it. 
First, is a column of words that can be read in 5 seconds and then is a column of words the kiddo is going to work on learning. Be sure to count and discuss the words known. After that, look for an increase each day that the kiddos sort.
Play Sight Word Games
Make 2 copies of the words above and play “Memory” with the cards! But don’t forget to remind kiddos to read them as quickly as possible. If a child doesn’t know the word in 5 seconds give them the word because it is really hard to unlearn a word that has been learned incorrectly. .JPG)
Check out Sight Word Reading. Basically, it explains the different clues I give to help students understand sight words and high frequency words.
Finally, here are a few resources I use to practice sight words. Click on the pictures to check them out!
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| My Favorite |
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| All Sight Word Resources |
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Make sure to go check out my store, Debora Marines Teach Magically for more resources for learners! Here’s where you can find me on social: Teachers Pay Teachers, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Make everyday magical,
❤Debora from Teach Magically
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