Reading is a messy process. Honestly, we talk about phonics and "sounding it out" like it’s a magic wand, but then your kid hits a word like though or enough and the whole system breaks. That’s where the Preschool Prep Company’s series kicks in. Meet the Sight Words Level 6 is the deeper end of the pool for young readers who have already mastered the basics of "cat" and "hat" but are starting to trip over the weird stuff.
It’s frustrating. You see your child flying through a book, and then they stop dead at a word that doesn't follow a single rule they've learned in kindergarten.
That is exactly why this specific level exists. It targets the "rule-breakers." These are the words that make up a massive percentage of children’s literature but are basically impossible to decode using standard phonics. If you’ve spent any time on the floor with a stack of early readers, you know the drill.
Why Meet the Sight Words Level 6 Is a Weird Milestone
Level 6 is a bit of an outlier. While the earlier levels focus on high-frequency words that are relatively simple—think and, it, in—this level starts introducing words that have more complex visual patterns. Most experts in early literacy, like those who follow the Science of Reading, argue that "sight words" shouldn't just be memorized like pictures. Instead, they should be mapped. But let’s be real: some words are just stubborn.
Meet the Sight Words Level 6 tackles words like could, should, and would. Notice a pattern? These are the "OULD" brothers. If a kid tries to sound out could using basic phonics, they get something like "c-ow-l-d." It makes no sense. The Preschool Prep Company uses a specific kind of visual mnemonics—basically turning the letters into characters that act out the word.
It’s polarizing. Some teachers love the visual cues; others think it’s a crutch. But for a kid who is struggling to move from picture books to early chapter books, that visual "hook" in Level 6 can be the difference between a meltdown and a breakthrough.
The Curriculum Breakout
What’s actually in the box? Or the stream?
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Usually, Level 6 covers a specific set of words that appear constantly in 1st and 2nd-grade texts. We’re talking about:
- Could
- Should
- Would
- Right
- Two
- Write
- Goes
- Does
Look at two and write. They’re homophones or near-homophones with silent letters. A kid sees the 'w' in two and their brain tries to make a 'wuh' sound. It’s a trap. Level 6 tries to bypass that trap by making the word itself look like the concept. For instance, the 'w' and 'o' might turn into two little eyes or two characters standing together.
The Battle Between Phonics and Whole Word Memorization
We have to talk about the "Reading Wars." It sounds dramatic, but educators have been fighting about this for decades. On one side, you have the phonics-only crowd. They believe every word should be broken down into its smallest sounds (phonemes). On the other side, you have Whole Language advocates who think kids should learn words in context.
Meet the Sight Words Level 6 lives in the messy middle.
Critics might say that teaching a kid to recognize would by looking at a cartoon character doesn't help them decode mound or round later. And they have a point. If we only teach memorization, kids eventually hit a "third-grade wall" where they can’t memorize any more words and their reading stalls.
However, the "orthographic mapping" process—how our brains store words for instant retrieval—actually requires us to see the word and connect it to its sound and meaning. For some kids, especially those with dyslexia or visual processing delays, the stylized characters in Level 6 act as an anchor. It’s not about replacing phonics. It’s about giving them a "win" so they don't give up on the book entirely.
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Does the Animation Style Actually Work?
If you’ve watched these videos, you know they are... slow. To an adult, it’s like watching paint dry. The characters repeat the word over and over. "Could... could... could."
But kids' brains don't work like ours.
Research into cognitive load suggests that for a child to move a word from short-term memory to long-term storage, they need repeated exposure in a low-stress environment. The "boring" repetition in Meet the Sight Words Level 6 is actually a feature, not a bug. By the time the five-minute segment on the word goes is over, that word is burned into their retinas.
Common Misconceptions About Level 6
People often think they can jump straight to Level 6 if their kid is "smart." Don't do that.
The levels are scaffolded. If a child doesn't have the "automaticity" of Level 1-5 words, the complexity of Level 6 will just confuse them. Automaticity is the goal. You want the child to see the word and "say" it without thinking, the same way you don't "read" a stop sign—you just know it.
Another big mistake? Using the videos as a babysitter.
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Screen time is fine, but the real magic happens when you pause the video and ask the kid to find the word in a real book. "Hey, we just saw should on the screen. Can you find it on this page of Frog and Toad?" That bridge from the screen to the page is where the actual reading happens.
What the Research Says About Visual Learning
The Preschool Prep Company relies heavily on the "Dual Coding Theory." This theory, developed by Allan Paivio in the 1970s, suggests that we process information through two different channels: one for verbal information and one for non-verbal images. When you use both, the memory trace is stronger.
So, when Level 6 shows the word two and makes the 'w' look like two people, the brain is storing that word in two places. If the child forgets the letters, they might remember the "two people" image, which triggers the word. It's a backup system.
Beyond the DVD: Practical Application
You shouldn't just rely on the video. If you're working through Meet the Sight Words Level 6, you need to diversify.
- Tactile Tracing: Have your kid trace the word would in a tray of salt or sand while saying the letters. It sounds hippy-dippy, but the multisensory approach is a staple of the Orton-Gillingham method.
- Flashcard Modification: If you have the Level 6 flashcards, don't just hold them up. Hide them around the room. Make it a scavenger hunt.
- Sentence Building: Use magnetic letters to build the words. If they get stuck on right, show them how the 'i-g-h' makes one sound.
Is It Worth the Investment?
Look, these sets aren't cheap. You can find plenty of free sight word lists on Pinterest or YouTube. But the specific "Meet the..." series has a very high "stickiness" factor.
Parents often report that their kids start "reading" the words in the grocery store or on billboards after just a few viewings. That boost in confidence is worth its weight in gold. When a kid feels like a "reader," they try harder. When they feel like they're failing, they shut down.
Level 6 is that crucial transition point. It’s where the words get longer and the rules get weirder. If they can conquer this level, they are usually ready to tackle the "Fry Instant Words" or the "Dolch List" with a lot more confidence.
Actionable Next Steps for Parents
- Audit their current level. Before buying Level 6, print out a list of the words (could, should, would, etc.) and see if your child can recognize them in plain black text. If they miss more than two, they aren't ready for Level 6.
- Watch with them. Don't just hand them the tablet. When the word two pops up, talk about how it’s different from to and too.
- Limit the sessions. 15 minutes is plenty. Any more and their brain just starts to glaze over.
- Context is king. Once they’ve watched the video, open a library book. Every time you see a Level 6 word, let them point to it.
- Move to "Heart Words." Start teaching them that the "ould" in could is the "heart part"—the part they have to know by heart because it doesn't follow the rules.
By focusing on these high-frequency, irregular words, you're giving your child the tools to decode about 50-75% of any standard children's book. Level 6 isn't just a video; it's a bridge to independent reading.