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       Reading is the most important skill a child will ever learn. It is impossible for a person to live a productive life without being able to read. In most schools, children are expected to be able to read simple sentences and stories by the end of first grade.  As well as being able to "sound out" (phonetically decode) regularly spelled words, children must also master reading basic, common sight words.
       The Dolch Sight Word Lists are often used in various educational activities to teach reading, as sight words make up 50 to 70 percent of any general text. Many of the 220 words in the Dolch list can not be "sounded out", and hence must be learned by sight. The Dolch Sight Word Lists include the most frequently used words in the English language that must be quickly recognized in order to achieve reading fluency. Furthermore, repetition and practice are very important in making recognition of sight words automatic. Once this core of basic sight words has been memorized, children read more fluently, with greater comprehension. Please use the following Dolch Sight Word lists to help your child improve his/her reading fluency and comprehension in first grade.