In 1936, Dr. Edward Dolch, a teacher, developed a method to aid his remedial English students in learning to read. He analyzed various materials, including newspapers and children’s literature, to identify the most frequently used words. To ensure the words were relevant, he eliminated many nouns that might become outdated, focusing instead on essential articles like “the,” pronouns such as “he,” “she,” or “it,” and prepositions like “on” and “in.” Dolch created a list of 220 sight words, recommending that learners prioritize the first 100 for starters.
These initial 100 words are crucial for helping children begin their reading journey, as they constitute around 65 to over 70 percent of the text found in everyday written materials, from newspapers to children’s books. A practical test using Dr. Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat” showed that some pages contained up to 72 percent sight words.
While phonetic approaches work for many words, some, like “one” or “the,” resist this method of decoding. This is where sight words prove advantageous. Children learn these words visually, without needing them to be spelled out or accompanied by pictures. When shown a sight word card and asked to repeat it after hearing it, children can often memorize the word quickly and confidently recognize it later, much like they do with familiar logos. Consistent daily practice can help children master these words within a week, enabling them to become acquainted with the essential 100.
Parents may notice that many sight words frequently appear in the storybooks read to their children. Ideal storybooks should feature colorful illustrations, engaging plots, large print, simple fonts, and rhymes to attract young readers.
To effectively incorporate sight words into reading practice, parents can pause before a sight word while reading aloud and encourage their child to read it. This engagement empowers children and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Positive reinforcement, such as thanking them for their help, encourages them to seek out more words.
Additionally, other high-frequency words that frequently appear in story titles and are repeated in the text can also aid children, such as “Pig” in “Pig the Pug.” Rhyming text supports early reading by highlighting word patterns and similar sounds.
Parents do not need to invest heavily in resources or elaborate materials to teach reading through sight words. It is unnecessary to spell out sight words or provide pictures for every single word, particularly abstract prepositions. A basic understanding of sight words’ efficacy is sufficient for parents to support their children in learning to read.
Children as young as three, who can recognize letters in their names on signs and clothing, are ready to learn sight words. The author recounts her experience teaching her twin sons sight words using large-font cards crafted with felt markers. They thoroughly enjoyed these ‘big boy classes,’ empowering both boys in their learning journey.
This article is adapted from Julie Sutherland’s book “Sight Words: Fast Track Reading for Pre-Schoolers,” a guide for parents and early childhood educators published in 2023. Julie Sutherland is an educator and author of educational books and a PhD student in education. The opinions expressed are those of the author.