If you’ve ever watched a child read a word perfectly on a flashcard, then skip right over that same word in a book, you already know something isn’t adding up. That is not a child “forgetting.” That is a child who was asked to memorize a word instead of learning how to read it.

Part of the issue is that schools often use the terms high-frequency words and sight words as if they’re interchangeable…and they’re not. When the difference isn’t clear, kids are asked to memorize instead of actually learning how words work. That’s why so many kids can read a word on a flashcard, but completely miss it inside a book the very next day.

So let’s clear this up. What are high-frequency words? What are sight words? Do kids really need to memorize hundreds of them? And what does the research say about the best way to teach them?

Have we met? I’m Miss Beth, founder of Big City Readers. I am a former early elementary teacher with a master’s in reading education, and I spend my days helping families understand what truly builds readers. No flashcards. No guessing. No “just memorize it.”

What Are High-Frequency Words?

High-frequency words are simply the most commonly used words in English print. These are the words kids see again and again in early readers and everyday text.

Examples:
the, and, is, it, to, of, was, you, said, he, she, my, with, they

They show up often because they are the glue of our language. Kids do need to recognize them easily, but here is the part most parents are never told:

Many high-frequency words are completely decodable.

Words like:

can
him
best
and
stop

High-frequency does not mean a word cannot be sounded out.

High-frequency does not automatically mean memorization.

High-frequency is about how often a word appears, not how it should be taught.

Many high-frequency words are completely decodable once kids learn the right phonics patterns!

Example: and, can, stop, him, best — all high-frequency, all 100 percent decodable.

So the problem is not the list. The problem is how the list is used.

Let’s discuss!

What Are Sight Words?

In real reading science, a “sight word” is not a type of word. It is a stage of learning.

This is where things get confusing, because schools often label any high-frequency word as a sight word. But in reading science, a sight word is not a word you memorize.

A sight word is any word that has been stored in the brain so well that the child can read it instantly and automatically.

That can happen in two ways:

The wrong way: drill, flashcards, memorization.
The right way: the word becomes a sight word because the child understands how it works.

The second method uses a process called orthographic mapping. It is how the brain permanently stores words for real reading, not short-term recall.

So in short:

High-frequency word = a word that appears often.
Sight word = a word the brain can read instantly.
You do not need to memorize a word for it to become a sight word.

That alone is a big shift for most families.

By the way, this is exactly what I teach YOU, the parents, in this free reading class!

Why Memorizing Word Lists Backfires

When I was trained, I was told the fastest way to get kids reading was to have them memorize lists of words like the, because, said, were. If they knew them “on sight,” they could read faster.

But I watched something happen over and over again: A child could read a word on a flashcard, but when it showed up in a sentence, they had no idea what it said.

They had memorized the shape, not learned the sounds, which made reading feel like a guessing game.

When we rely on memorization:

Kids hit a wall around third grade because they cannot memorize the thousands of words needed for real reading.
Struggling readers get mislabeled as “behind” when the real issue is instruction, not ability.
Kids believe reading is about guessing, not problem-solving.

I have walked into classrooms where every inch of wall space was covered in sight word charts, but kids still could not read. The method looked “busy” and “academic,” but the results did not match.

Let me be clear – it is NOT the teachers’ fault! Many universities are still teaching outdated methods based on memorization and picture-guessing instead of decoding. The system trains teachers one way, then blames them when it does not work. I was taught the same thing once, too!

Start workshop!

So What Should We Do Instead?

Instead of asking kids to memorize word shapes, we teach these words the way the brain actually stores them: through a process called orthographic mapping.

Orthographic mapping is how the brain turns an unfamiliar word into a known word. The child is not memorizing the look of the word. They are learning how the sounds in the word connect to the letters on the page.

When we teach a word this way, we:

Connect each sound in the word to the letters that spell it.
Show the child which part of the word follows a phonics pattern and which part is “tricky”.
Use multisensory practice (say it, tap it, write it, trace it).
Help the word move into long-term memory.
Example: the word of

Most kids are told to “just memorize it” because ‘of’ is not spelled the way it sounds.
Instead, we break it down step by step.

Ask: “How many sounds do you hear in of?” (answer: two sounds, /ŭ/ and /v/).
Map the sounds to letters. The letter f is the unexpected part because it makes the /v/ sound.
Mark the irregular part with a heart to show the part we have to remember.
Tap the sounds, say the word aloud, write it, and use it in a sentence.

Now the child knows the word because they understand how it works, not because they stared at it repeatedly.

When a word is stored this way, it becomes a true sight word. The brain recognizes it instantly because it has been fully mapped, not memorized.

What Should You Do If Your Child Brings Home a Sight Word List Each Week?

Let’s be honest. Even if we know memorizing long lists isn’t the best way to build real readers… the lists still come home in the backpack. Sometimes every Monday. Sometimes 25 words at a time. Sometimes with a note that says “test on Friday.”

So what do you do?

First, you do not have to ignore the list or fight the teacher.
You can work with the list, but teach the words in a way that actually benefits your child.

Here is how to handle it:

Sort the words.

Which ones can be sounded out? (can, him, best, stop).
Which ones are irregular or “rule breakers”? (said, was, of, what)
Decodable words should be read, not memorized.

Teach the tricky ones with sound mapping, not flashcards.

Tap the sounds.
Write the letters.
Circle the part that does not follow the pattern.
Say it in a sentence that turns it into a stored word, not a memorized shape.

Send a simple note or email if needed.
Something like: “We are practicing the words at home using sound mapping instead of memorization. It is helping a lot. Just wanted to let you know in case the practice looks different.”
If the list feels too long, shorten it.
The goal is not “pass the Friday quiz.” The goal is long-term reading success. Five words learned well are more valuable than twenty words memorized and forgotten.
Remember: you are allowed to teach differently at home.
Teachers often have to follow curriculum requirements, but at home, you can do what is developmentally and scientifically best for your child and what science supports around learning to read!

Fast Is Not the Goal — Transfer Is

Here is the truth I wish someone had told me when I was a new teacher:

It is not impressive when a child can blast through a long list of “sight words.” It is impressive when they can read a word in a book that they have never seen before.

That is the difference between memorizing and reading!

If a child truly learns 10 words, meaning they understand the sounds, the pattern, and the one part that is tricky, those 10 words are theirs forever. Their brain can store them without effort. That is real learning.

Now compare that to memorizing 100 words from a list. The child may look “ahead” for a while, but the progress only lasts as long as the list does. As soon as the flashcards stop, the reading stops because there is nothing to fall back on.

I have worked with so many families who say, “My child knew all their sight words last year, but this year nothing is sticking.” That is not a child issue. That is an instruction issue. Memorization has a ceiling. Decoding does not.

We’d Love To Have You In Our Class!

If you want help teaching reading the way the brain actually learns it, Big City Readers On Demand can walk you through it. It is a library of quick, age-based video lessons (baby through third grade) that mix movement, music, and real reading instruction — no flashcards, no guessing, no memorizing word lists. Just simple, practical lessons you can do at home in 10 to 15 minutes.

Ready to Read: Pre-reading skills for growing readers: letters, sounds, and a love of books.
Ready to Write: Kindergarten handwriting and early writing skills, taught through movement and play.
Kindergarten Ready: Build confidence with the core skills kids need for a strong start to school.
First Grade Bootcamp: Strengthen reading and spelling skills with quick, engaging first-grade lessons.
Mastering Spelling Rules: Teach your second or third grader how spelling patterns really work, so reading and writing feel easier.

Explore classes!

The kids who learn how words work may start slower on paper, but they are the ones who take off later. They do not need someone feeding them more words. They can figure them out on their own. That is what we want, and I KNOW you can get there!

So if it feels like the slower path, remind yourself of this:

A strong foundation does not look fast in the beginning, but it is the only path that actually leads somewhere.

Kids do not become strong readers by memorizing hundreds of words. They become strong readers by understanding how words work, one pattern at a time. When we teach high-frequency words through sound, spelling, and meaning, we are not just helping them learn a list. We are building a reader who can unlock any word they meet.

Which word are you excited to try mapping with your child? Let me know below, and while you're there, take a peek at these other early reading blogs: