The high-frequency words were selected from the list of sight words used in our intervention program, SIPPS, the Beginning and Extension Levels. These words were originally selected from the 1,000 most frequently used words in school material compiled by Carroll, Davies, and Richman (American Heritage Word Frequency Book, 1971).
The specific high-frequency words taught in small groups are needed to read the student texts.
When assessing students for small-group placement, it is important to consider that students may have a different high-frequency word base than the one used in the Being a Reader scope and sequence. For this reason, you may have some students who do not pass the high-frequency word portion of the placement test but may have more spelling-sound knowledge. If you suspect that this is the case, you may wish to further assess these students to see if they know enough phonics to be placed in a higher set. Assess these students on the spelling-sound portion of the Placement Assessment for Sets 1-5 Section C, or even Section D if they pass Section C. If you discover that the students place in Sets 2 or 3 based on their spelling-sound knowledge, you should provide two or three sessions introducing and reviewing the high-frequency words from earlier sets before beginning instruction in the higher set.