Question: My daughter's teacher gave me the Dolch Word lists to practice with my first grader. What are they and why are they important to know?

Answer: The Dolch words are the 220 most frequently found words. Students who learn these words have a good base for beginning reading.

Many of these words cannot be sounded out because they do not follow decoding rules. These words must be learned as sight words.

Dolch words are divided into four groups.

Download free flashcards.

Preprimer Dolch Word List

Primer Dolch Word List

First grade Dolch Word List

Second grade Dolch Word List

Third grade Dolch Word List

If your child does not know their Dolch words, practice with then until they do.

Make it fun.

Print out two sets of cards and play “Memory”.

Print out three sets of cards and play “Go Fish”. Make each set a different color.

Ideas and Suggestions to help teach Dolch Word Lists

1. Make it fun.

2. Print out two sets of cards and play “Memory”.

3. Print out three sets of cards and play “Go Fish”. Make each set a different color.

Education Consultant and Instructor for Learningtrends.com