Lists and Resources for
Teaching Sight Words

Here is my new collection of sight words for the classroom. After using the Dolch Words and the Magic 100 Words in classrooms, I thought shorter lists would be easier for younger students to come to grips with. I believe children will have more success focusing on just 5 words at a time (half a list), but for some, this may still be a difficult task. If needed, the focus can be on 1 or 2 words. My lists are also based on the most common words in English, but they exclude the easily sounded out words such as 'get', 'but' and 'had'. Included are words that require phonemic understandings other than just the consonant sounds and the short vowel sounds. These are true sight words, that readers will have difficulty with if they try to sound them out without prior phonics knowledge. I have called these the Wild Words. Coming later: I have also placed the words with easily recognisable rimes in another collection of word lists for early readers to learn and recognise automatically. These will be the Pet Words. My games are designed around my lists, but teachers should find it easy to select games and activities for their students' needs whether using these, the Dolch word lists, the Magic Words, or any other combination of words. Look at the Wild Words and Pet Words lists to determine which games and activities are most appropriate.

Ideas for the use of Word Charts:

Use in the classroom as part of a Word Wall
Reduce the size to A5 and make copies on coloured card for students to keep and learn at home
Use the 1-10 word lists chart to keep track of which words students have learned. (Make a copy for each student's record and date when they are successful)
Motivate students by giving certificates when they have successfully learned the words on each list
Provide games for students to assist in learning each set of words

Free Resource Charts:

Wild Words Charts (1-10) Australian

Wild Words Charts (1-10) Alternative

wild words charts