— Teacher Frequently Asked Questions —

What is required of the teacher?

Sight Word Busters (SWB) recruits, trains, and places volunteers in the classroom.

Teachers provide a designated space for the classroom kit containing the student books plus a small area in the back of the room for the volunteer to work one-on-one with the students. (Needed - an adult-sized chair for the volunteer.)

Sight Word Busters assigns a volunteer coordinator to each school. The coordinator organizes the materials and the classroom volunteers based on the teacher’s perferred schedule.

How long does the program last?

Volunteers work in the classroom from September through May. The program is individualized, therefore some students may complete the program by March while others may take longer.

What is the impact on classroom instruction while the Sight Word Buster volunteer is working with students?

There is minimal impact. Teachers do not need to alter lesson plans to accommodate the time the volunteer is in the room. The first student is trained to immediately go to the volunteer when they enter the room. Upon finishing the two-minute session, the student quietly taps the shoulder of the next student to signal his turn. Students are engaged with the Sight Word Buster volunteer for two minutes or less per session. The volunteer works with every student in the classroom unless otherwise directed. (Approximately one hour.)

Who will oversee the volunteers and ensure things are running as planned?

The volunteer site coordinator is responsible for monitoring the program and assisting the volunteers.

Who trains the volunteers?

All volunteers attend a one-hour Orientation plus a two-hour Hands-On Training Session with our SWB training team before beginning in the classroom. Volunteers learn strategies to help students master the high frequency words in record time.

What kind of data is collected regarding student progress?

Teachers have access to the student books at all times. At the end of the school year SWB provides each teacher with a data chart detailing the number of words mastered by each student.

Is the SWB method research-based?

Yes. Strategies used by our volunteers are based on best practices.

Reading experts agree that word recognition is a foundational skill and that both guided practice and repetition are critical for reading success. 

The Sight Word Busters’ guided practice sessions are structured around short explicit exercises, where one new high frequency word is introduced and then practiced with other already mastered words on a short list. 

In addition to using best practices, our one-on-one sessions encourage reading confidence and provide the security of knowing that the volunteer is going to help the child persevere until each word on the page is mastered, no matter how long it takes.

Our custom designed sight word books contain high frequency words taken from standardized sight word lists, including Shefelbine’s irregular words and the Science of Reading research. Mastery of these words provides a significant boost towards overall reading success. 

Do SWB volunteers reinforce phonics instruction?

Letter and sound recognition are reinforced in TK and Kinder and when needed in other grades. Phonics instruction is a critical component for teaching students to read and requires a higher level of training than what we can provide to our volunteers. Therefore, we leave that important skill development to the classroom teacher - the expert.

How much does the SWB program cost per classroom?

Please inquire with Linda LoBue at lindalobue@sightwordbusters.org for details.