Need Inspiration for Words to use in Intervention? Think Dolch Words!

Sometimes you come across a reader who struggles with even the most basic of words and it is hard to know which words to focus on in intervention. In these instances, Dolch words can be a big help.

What are Dolch words?

Good question. Dolch words are lists of commonly used words. These lists were originally created by Dr. Edward William Dolch in 1936, who looked at children's books to determine what words were most common (Wikipedia, 2010). Many Dolch words must be learned as sight words as they cannot be sounded out using regular letter-sound rules. An example is the word "could." If you try to read this word using letter-sound rules, you will see what I mean.

Why would I want to use Dolch words in an intervention?

Another good question. I believe that it is important to incorporate these words because they are so common. If a student is struggling with these words, then they will continue to have great difficulty until this deficit is resolved.

Where can I find Dolch word lists?

There are many free Dolch word lists available on the internet. I particularly like Mrs. Perkins' Dolch Words because the lists are in Microsoft Word format, but lists can also be found on the Dolch word list Wikipedia page, as well as by simply running an internet search.