First Grade Dolch Sight Words

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Sight words are an important part of early reading development, and the Dolch list is a great resource for teaching these words. The list contains 220 words that students should learn to read by sight. Keep reading for word lists, activities and games available to help kids learn these words.

What are Dolch Sight Words?

First grade Dolch sight words are a list of common words that first graders are expected to be able to recognize on sight. The list was first compiled by Dr. Edward William Dolch, a professor of education at the University of Illinois, in the 1930s. Since then, it has been widely used by teachers and students of the English language. The Dolch sight words are divided into three levels: pre-primer, primer, and first grade. There are a total of 41 first grade sight words on the list. Some of the most common first grade Dolch sight words include: the, is, and, to, we, you, my, me, of, said. While memorizing all 41 words may seem daunting at first, students can start by learning a few words at a time. With some practice, they will be able to quickly recognize all of the first grade Dolch sight words.

Click here to download the Free Dolch Sight Word List.

The list of Dolch Sight Words lists include 220 words, sometimes known as high frequency sight words, are divided into five lists:

PrePrimer List (Pre-K)

Primer (Kindergarten)

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

Keep in mind that although they are listed by grade level, every child is different so they may need to learn the grade higher or lower depending on their needs.

I always like to test my students to see the words they know, then work on the words they need.

Why are first grade dolch sight words important?

First grade Dolch sight words are important because they are high frequency words that occur often in print. When children learn to recognize these words quickly and automatically, they become more proficient readers. Research has shown that proficient readers recognize most words by sight, so being able to quickly identify first grade Dolch sight words is a critical skill for young readers. While some children may be able to learn these words through context clues or by sounding them out, others will benefit from directly learning the words by sight. First grade Dolch sight words provide a foundation on which children can build their reading skills, and they should be an integral part of any early reading program.

When should you begin teaching high-frequency words or sight words?

Even at an early age, children can learn to recognize the frequent words that they hear and read.

How to teach First Grade Dolch Sight Words?

Make Flashcards:

One way to help your child learn Dolch sight words is to use flash cards. You can make your own flash cards by writing the sight word or having your child write the sight word. Having your child read the flash cards aloud will help them to learn how to spell the words correctly.

Weekly Spelling Tests:

Another way to help your child learn Dolch sight words is to give them spelling tests. Test their knowledge by having them spell the words out loud or write them down on a piece of paper.

Read at least 15 minutes each day:

Reading is a fundamental skill that provides children with the ability to communicate and understand the world around them. While learning to read can be a challenge, there are a number of fun activities and games that can help kids learn first grade dolch sight words. One popular sight word game is to create a list of words and challenge kids to see how many they can read in one minute.

Additionally, children's books are a great resource for helping kids learn new words. By incorporating these fun activities into their learning, kids will be well on their way to becoming fluent readers.

Encourage your child to read early readers that contain Dolch sight words. This will help them to see the words in context and better understand their meaning.

By using these three methods, you can help your child learn Dolch sight words in no time!

Activities and games to help kids learn the words

Hide and Seek:

Another fun activity is to hide the sight words around the house or classroom and have kids search for them.

Helpful resources for parents and teachers

It is important to use different ways to teach the Dolch words.

For example, one day you may have your child work on reading the Dolch Word Lists, while another day they may read children's books and use highlighter tape to find the Dolch words.

Since sight words account for about 90% of words in children's books, it is easy for children to point out the words as they are reading.

Also, children can use this Dolch Word Packet to help practice these words.

The activities include: putting words in alphabetical order, tracing the words, drawing a picture of the common nouns, and more.

Download the First Grade Dolch Word Packet here!

Click here to download the Free Dolch Sight Word List.