| Dolch words are the list of 220 words which | | | | 1. Only teach a few Dolch words at a time. To |
| researcher Edward W. Dolch published in his book | | | | begin with, it's a good idea to teach just two |
| "Problems in Reading" in 1948. Dolch established | | | | words so that the learner can easily tell them |
| which words appeared most frequently in | | | | apart and learn to recognize them, then maybe |
| children's reading books. Around fifty to | | | | add a new word each day provided the learner is |
| seventy-five percent of the words in any piece | | | | keeping up. |
| of text, whether intended for adults or children, | | | | 2. Only 'test' the learner if you are quite sure they |
| will consist of words from the Dolch word list. | | | | already know the words, to give them every |
| Dolch believed that learning to recognize these | | | | chance to be successful rather than a failure. |
| words by sight would speed up children's reading | | | | 3. If the learner can already read some words, |
| fluency. | | | | use the Dolch words in sentences or short |
| Many of the words on the Dolch list are not | | | | phrases, e.g. "the cat is over there" instead of |
| decodable. This means that they cannot be easily | | | | just using the words in isolation. |
| 'sounded out' using phonetic clues. For example, | | | | 4. Have the learner practice writing the words as |
| 'cat' is a phonically regular word which is easy to | | | | well as just reading them. This gives variety and |
| decode, but the word 'there' does not follow the | | | | will also help to develop spelling skills. |
| most common rules of phonics, which makes it | | | | 5. Use games to teach the Dolch words instead |
| difficult to decode. Dolch words are therefore | | | | of just reading and writing. Using games can really |
| usually taught as 'sight words'. This means that | | | | make learning the Dolch words into a fun activity |
| the learner will be taught to recognize the word | | | | instead of a boring chore. You could make two |
| as a whole rather than breaking it down and | | | | sets of flashcards so that the words can be |
| decoding it. | | | | matched up into pairs. This could be developed |
| Many schools teach the Dolch words using | | | | into a snap game or a memory game where the |
| flashcards. The teacher or parent will take a pile | | | | cards are placed face down and players take it in |
| of cards, each with a Dolch word on. They will | | | | turn to look at two cards and see if they can find |
| show the cards one at a time to the learner, | | | | a match. If the words match, the player keeps |
| saying each word aloud. Next, the learner will be | | | | the cards and has another go. When a child is |
| asked to recall the words as they are shown one | | | | learning the words, an adult may have to read |
| by one. Many children find this quite stressful as it | | | | the words aloud at first. |
| is testing their knowledge and they may feel a | | | | Another great way to practice Dolch words is to |
| sense of failure when they are unable to | | | | try out some of the free games available on the |
| remember the correct response. | | | | Internet. There are sites with interactive word |
| There are lots of ways to make Dolch word | | | | searches featuring the Dolch words, online |
| learning easier for the child (or an adult learning to | | | | matching games with fun sound effects and |
| read or learning English for the first time). | | | | games where learners can practice spelling the |
| | | | words online too. |