Decoding Sight Words
with Phonics Secrets for Reading (Part 1)

*This product pairs perfectly with:
Decoding Sight Words with Phonics Secrets (Pt 2)
Decoding Sight Words “Interactive” Add-On

Did you know that for experienced readers, virtually EVERY word is a sight word? That’s because the definition of a sight word is ANY WORD that is recognized by sight, meaning that it has already been “orthographically mapped” in the brain. For beginning and struggling readers, the transfer of unfamiliar words into sight memory should be the ultimate goal, but NOT through rote memorization of so-called “sight word lists.”

Rather, kids need to actively decode them, and to do this, they need to know more than just the individual letter sounds. They need to know ALL of the sounds letters make when they get together—something that often takes 3-4 grade level years, from prek-3rd grade. Not only is that WAY TOO LONG to make kids wait for the “whole” phonics code they need to read and write, but it’s also the reason that kids have to memorize so many words in K-2…because they haven’t yet learned the phonics skills needed to read them!

Enter Secret Stories®
The Secrets explain the sounds letters make when they get together in words, with posters to help kids remember for independent reading and writing—making for the ideal “SOUND WALL!” The Secrets aren’t skills, they’re just stories that kids ALREADY know, based on behaviors they ALREADY understand. With the Secrets, kids don’t have to MEMORIZE words, they can just READ them….even in kindergarten! 

The purpose of this packet is to demonstrate how “sight words” are actually just like ANY other word, and that if kids know the Secrets, they can just READ them!

Teach kids to strategize, not memorize with activities for decoding sight words with phonics secrets for science based reading instruction. Activities are designed to spotlight the connections between Secret Stories® phonics patterns and high-frequency sight words, using embedded sound graphics to “show” the sounds of the letters to help kids read and spell. These activities provide structured practice and reinforcement of Secret Story phonics patterns and sounds through decoding and encoding phonemes and graphemes to help support orthographic mapping in the brain.

While the first 100 Dolch and Fry Words are used as examples in this pack, additional blank templates have been provided so that you can make your own words and completely restructure the activity level. *All words are pre-embedded with Secret Stories® Digital Sound Stickers in PDF format.

What’s Included:

Decoding DOLCH Words with Secrets (1st 100)
Decoding FRY Words with Secrets (1st 100)
Decoding High Frequency Words with Syllable Types & Secrets
Extra “Read, Write & Spell” Page Templates
Decoding Dictionaries with DOLCH (1st 100)
Decoding Dictionaries with FRY (1st 100)
Extra “Non-Labeled” Decoding Dictionary Cover Page
Extra Dictionary Pages to Decode and Encode Words with Secrets
Dolch Word Cards (1st 100)
Fry Word Cards (1st 100)
High-Frequency Word Clouds (F&P – 1st 100)

*Editable Powerpoint Version of Templates Included to Add Your Own Words!