The Dolch List is Not the Only Sight Word List

Recognizing sight words is a solid first step toward mastering the key skill of reading. By definition, a sight word is a word that a child can read without phonetically decoding it. Sight words are also high-frequency words, being commonly found in most publications. The importance of introducing children to sight words is to lay a foundation for the reading process and to build up confidence as they become more comfortable with the written word. Specific research involving the use of sight words to teach reading reinforces this method, as studies reveal that with over a half million words in the English language, only a couple hundred are regularly used in printed material. Doctors Edward William Dolch and Edward B. Fry compiled practical lists that are still highly valued by both parents and teachers.

Edward William Dolch, PhD published a landmark study that revolutionized the way reading was taught. In his book, Problems in Reading, he developed his theory that children who memorize or are able to identify a core group of words by sight learn to read more easily and with greater comprehension. Dolch systematically compiled a list of 220 service words and 95 nouns (the Dolch lists). He chose words that were most often used in the children’s reading books during the 1930s and 40s. When beginner readers learned these sight words, they became more fluent readers in a shorter period of time.

In 1996, Edward B. Fry, Ph.D, took Dolch’s research to a new level with the publication of his book, 1,000 Instant Words. He compiled a list of the most common sight words and arranged them in order of frequency. Fry’s research discovered that a mere twenty-five words, (these appear at the top of his list) comprise about a third of all published work. He noted that one hundred words are commonly used in about half of all written publications. His list was designed around these facts, as he sought to encourage young children to memorize these sight words to better enable them to read.

Both Dolch and Fry grasped the thinking process involved in reading. With repeated exposure to common sight words, students will instantly recognize these words, automatically comprehending them whenever they appear in the text. This streamlines the reading process by making certain common words quickly understood, leaving the child to phonetically decode only the unfamiliar words on a page.

The common vocabulary word lists compiled by both Dolch and Fry are arranged in a level of increasing difficulty. Fry divided his list into six levels, which correspond to the first six grades. On the other hand, Dolch suggested that his words be thoroughly mastered by third grade. Today, however, most educators encourage students to to recognize upon sight the Dolch lists by the end of the first grade.

Er-u-di-tion is a sight words game that was developed to provide early readers frequent interaction with sight words and basic phonic sounds while playing a fun game. The game cards are categorized by reading readiness level so children of various reading levels can play together.