The Dolch List is Not the Only Sight Word List
Sight words are common often phonetically irregular words that a child is encourage to read automatically. 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.
Dolch Sight Words
Edward William Dolch, Ph.D. revolutionized the way reading was taught. In his book, Problems in Reading, he created a basic sight word list and encouraged every child to instantly recognize these words by sight. Dolch systematically compiled a list of 220 service words and 95 nouns (commonly referred to as the Dolch sight word lists). He chose words that were most often used in children’s reading books during the 1920s and 30s.
Fry Sight Words
In the late 1990s, 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. More recently, Dr. Fry along with Dr. Kress published, The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists. Their research discovered that a mere twenty-five words, comprise about a third of all published work. They also noted that one hundred words are commonly used in about half of all written publications.
Today, many educators reference both Dolch and Fry’s sight word lists. Eruditionâ„¢, a sight words game, helps emergent readers learn sight words and basic phonic sounds while playing a fun game. The game cards are categorized by reading level so children of various reading levels can play together.
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