In 1936, Dr. Edward Dolch, a teacher, developed a method to aid his remedial English students in learning to read. He analyzed various materials, ranging from newspapers to children’s literature, to identify the most frequently used words. To ensure relevance, he eliminated many nouns as they often become outdated. For example, learning the word “gramophone” today or “device” in the 1930s would be impractical. Instead, he focused 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 begin with the first 100.
These first 100 sight words are vital for initiating reading skills. Remarkably, these words constitute about 65 to over 70 percent of any written material, including newspapers, academic journals, websites, and children’s storybooks. Dolch tested this with Dr. Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat,” finding some pages contained up to 72 percent sight words.
While phonetics—connecting sounds of letters, like “d-o-g” for dog—works for some words, others, like “one” or “the,” cannot be easily sounded out, which highlights the advantage of sight words. Children often learn visually and can remember words quickly if they see them, much like how they recognize logos or symbols. By using flashcards with sight words and reviewing them daily, children can master these words within a week, becoming familiar with 100 words in no time.
Parents will notice that many of the sight words their children learn appear in storybooks read to them. The best children’s books typically feature colorful illustrations, engaging storylines, large print, simple fonts, and rhyming patterns.
To incorporate sight words into reading practices, parents can pause before encountering a sight word and ask their child to read it. This involvement empowers the child and encourages them to seek out more words. Acknowledging their efforts reinforces their confidence and creates a positive feedback loop in their learning process.
In addition to sight words, other high-frequency words that are frequently repeated in stories, such as “Pig” in “Pig the Pug,” can also aid children in learning to read. Rhyming verses are beneficial too, as they help kids recognize patterns and similar-sounding endings.
Parents do not need to invest heavily in resources or become reading experts to support their children. A basic understanding of the sight word method suffices to help kids with their learning.
As for the appropriate age to start with sight words, one parent observed that her three-year-old twin could recognize the first letter of his name in various contexts. If a child can identify such letters, they are ready to learn one- to four-letter words. She introduced sight words using large font cards, labeling them as “big boy classes,” which empowered both twins as they shared roles as teacher and student.
This information is adapted from Julie Sutherland’s book “Sight Words: Fast track reading for pre-schoolers,” a guide aimed at parents and early childhood educators.