Tools for Literacy- Mastering Multiple Meaning Sight Words

Kelly Sanders

Ralph Dunlap School

Santa Barbara County Education Office

Description:

Deaf/hard of Hearing students often struggle with decoding skills. English is a complex language and learning the multiple meanings of sight words can be a challenge for an emergent reader. Can you explain the 11 meanings of the word “run”? After various activities that I have created, and LOTS of practice, my students are finally internalizing multiple meanings and starting to read with fluency!

Project outcome:

* Students will be able to read/sign the multiple meaning Adapted Dolch sight words at their grade level.

* Students will be able to internalize the multiple meaning Adapted Dolch sight words and be able to use the correct sign choice while reading text at their reading level.

Target student grade level:Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in grades K to 6.

Time required:

This is an on-going, year-long project as students progress through the Adapted Dolch word levels (preprimer, primer, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade with a total of 220 words). File folder activities take 20 minutes per word, Interactive notebook activity takes 20 minutes per word, multiple meaning sight word readers take about 10 minutes per word. That is approximately 50 minutes spent practicing and learning each of the multiple meaning signs for each sight word.

CA Content or Common Core State Standards addressed with this project:

(Since this project is designed for kindergarten through third grade students, Common Core State Standards are listed by each grade level.)

Kinder

RF.K.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

RF.K4 Read Emergent-reader text with purpose and understanding

L.K.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content.

1st Grade:

RF.1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

RF.1.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

L.1.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

2nd Grade:

RF.2.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

RF.2.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

L.2.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

3rd Grade:

RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

L.3.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed monthly on their Adapted Dolch word list. Students sign each sight word and the multiple meaning signs as the teacher checks them off. If a student has fully mastered all the signs/words at their current level, they progress to the next grade level list. Students are constantly monitored during Guided Reading for use of the Adapted Dolch words they have learned and ability to use those meanings within context as they read text at their current reading level. If a student is unable to sign the correct meaning based on context, review of that multiple meaning word occurs so they will better understand sign choice the next time they encounter that word.

Materials:

*Adapted Dolch word Interactive notebooks: interactive activity for each sight word (220), composition book, glue stick, scissors, dry erase marker, crayons.

*Adapted Dolch word File Folder activities: File Folder activity for each sight word (220), file folders, glue sticks, dry erase marker, magnifying glass, and play-dough.

*Adapted Dolch word Sight Word Readers: copy of the sight word reader for each word that has multiple sign choices, highlighter, pencil, scissors and a glue stick.

Lesson Plans:See Below