How does Hilary Erickson's method for using sight words outperform traditional techniques?

I focus on using sight words as a confidence builder and blending them naturally into real reading, instead of treating them as a huge, separate memorization project.

Traditional approaches often:

1. Rely heavily on rote drills or only use sight words that “can’t be sounded out”
2. Keep kids sounding out every single word for too long
3. Make practice feel like drudgery instead of progress

What I do differently:

1. Mix sight words in early with simple books so kids see them in context
2. Go beyond “unsound-out-able” words and quickly teach the 100 most-used words so kids feel fluent fast
3. Use short flashcard sessions with rewards and games (like hiding the words, finding them in newspapers) so it feels fun, not like a test
4. Let sight words flow alongside phonics, rather than picking one camp or the other

The “win” is that kids quickly experience, “Hey, I can really read!” That sense of mastery is what keeps them motivated to tackle the harder decoding work.

What’s your child’s age and current reading level so I can tailor how you’d start using sight words with them?