Sight words - dolch vs. fry words

[Proud2BATeacher]

The teachers in my school do their own thing in regards to what sight word/spelling list they use. I am hoping that some of you will be able to tell me the benefits of using dolch words vs. fry words when teaching spelling and/or sight words to my students (or vice versa).

[mopar]

From my limited knowledge of these two, the Dolch list is an older list of 220 sight words to learn. The Fry list is an update version with 1000 words broken down in bands of 100. I think there might even be an extension to the Fry list to go beyond 1000. I believe that the Dolch sight word list is from the early 1900s while the Fry list is much more recent and includes most of the Dolch words within the first 200 words.

[queenie]

I had no idea, but found this for you:

http://teacher.depaul.edu/Documents/...Comparison.pdf

http://neuhaus.org/ask-an-expert/is-...-pinnell-list/

Judging by the little bit I read, I'd choose the Fry list.

[Proud2BATeacher]

Thanks for your input Mopar and your links queenie! I have used the fry word lists for the last 3 years and was contemplating changing to the dolch word lists b/c everyone else in my school is using it. I think I'll stick to my Fry Words.

[mopar]

Proud---that sounds like a good idea. It will give your students that are able more while still keeping the most common words first.

[waterfall]

I had always heard that fry words were the most common words used in reading passages (meaning they'd be most important for a student to know) while dolch words were truly "sight words" (meaning words that can't be sounded out using traditional phonics). I don't have the lists in front of me, but I want to say that the definition above isn't always true (I feel like there are words on dolch that can be sounded out) but this is what I was taught in my college program.

[teacherman1]

Originally Posted by mopar

From my limited knowledge of these two, the Dolch list is an older list of 220 sight words to learn. The Fry list is an update version with 1000 words broken down in bands of 100. I think there might even be an extension to the Fry list to go beyond 1000. I believe that the Dolch sight word list is from the early 1900s while the Fry list is much more recent and includes most of the Dolch words within the first 200 words.

Agreed...
The Fry list is more up to date and actually is a list of the most used words in the English language today, beginning with the, of, and, etc. Common sense says that these basic words should be mastered first.