Teaching high-frequency words (Dolch words ) in isolation

For children whose Dolch words are already in their speaking and listening vocabularies, the goal is to help them recognize the word on the printed page, (i. e. how it looks.) Some readers have difficulty noticing the similarity of "walk, walked, walking, walks." Others confuse "came" with "come." Some students reverse words such as "was" and "saw." Reversals are not necessarily a red flag for learning disabilities. Most beginning readers occasionally reverse a word.

Recognition of similarities and differences can help students learn Dolch words.

"Come" looks like "came." "Went" looks like "want." "Saw" and "on" are often read backward.

When studying similarities and differences, teachers often ask, "Which one is different?" They don't focus on the thinking process of noticing the details that make it different. So, don't just ask which one is different. Ask how it is different. You are aiming for precision of thought and perception. The letters "c," "e," and "o" are sometimes mistaken for each other.

Make a row with one word repeated three times and one different word. Be sure to make only four words at a time. Vary the position of the word which is different. Examples with the pre-primer word list are as follows:

in / in / it / in
where / here / where / where
see / me / me / me
to / to / to / go
come / down / come / come
we / me / me / me

Ask: "How are all of these alike?"
Acceptable answers include these.

1. They have letters.
2. These (point) are the same words. They have the same letters.
3. This letter (name) is in all of them.
4. Each word has the same number of letters (if this is accurate).
5. All of them are word

Then ask: "Which one is different?"; "How is it different?"
Acceptable answers include these.

1. It has different letters.
2. The same letters are in different places.
3. Each word starts with the same letter.
4. This word is ___ . The other words are ___ .
5. This word begins with ___ . The other words begin with ___ .

Use this same procedure to help children who have difficulty associating verb endings with their root words. Use a computer or index cards to create root words and their endings. When students are not yet very familiar with the root word, repeat it on three cards using the card with a different ending only once. For example:

jump / jumped / jump / jump

After they are more familiar with the root word, use it only once and repeat the one with the different ending. For example:

jumped jumped jump jumped