The Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary Test assesses children's reading efficiency through a list of 220 words, critical for understanding school reading materials. Each child is tested individually, with specific instructions on administering the test, scoring responses, and recording errors for diagnostic purposes. The scoring system categorizes performance into different reader levels based on the number of words known, aiding in identifying reading proficiency.

1. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT
VOCABULARY TEST

2. •The Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary Test of
220 words constitutes 50 to 75 percent of
all school reading materials. This test
determines the child’s degree of reading
efficiency in terms of sight-word
recognition. It can be easily given to any
class or subgroups within the class that
seems to lack the ability to recognize
common words quickly at sight.

3. •Each child must be tested individually, far
enough from the others that they cannot hear
him pronounce, and that he cannot be
disturbed by them.
•If the child shows fatigue, he may be given the
test at two settings.

4. • Each child is told to say the words he knows. As the
correct response is given, the examiner draws a line
through the word on his own test sheet, not on the
child’s. (In case the examiner wishes to make the test
serve diagnostic purposes also, he may write the type
of error a child makes as he tries to pronounce the
word. The wrong response may just be written above
the word attempted. By analyzing these errors later, it
is often possible to tell what type of difficulty the child
has. However, this recording of type of error has
nothing to do with finding the child’s reading level.

5. • The time allowed for pronouncing each word should be ten to
fifteen seconds. At the end of fifteen seconds the teacher will
point to or present the next word. For children who have had
no phonics, ten seconds is long enough since at one look a
child either knows a word or doesn’t know it. Children who
have had little phonics may take few seconds to sound a word,
but the word is counted wrong if they cannot get it within
fifteen seconds.
• Give credit
-if the child could pronounce it at sight
-if he could sound it and pronounce it on first trial
-if he corrected himself immediately after miscalling it then
pronounced it correctly.

6. • Do not give credit
-if he miscalled it, and then after correctly pronouncing one
or several others on the list, came back to that word and gave
it correctly.
-if it took more than one trial of sounding to get it.
-if he miscalled it and gave more than one original
mistaken word before getting the right one. Example: If
the given word Could, a child said called, cold, could, he is
given no credit.
-if he omitted the word and the word and then later came
back and gave it correctly
-if he hesitated longer than fifteen seconds, before giving
the word.

7. • The following limits are used for the Dolch Score Scale:
Dolch Words Known Equivalent
Reader Levels
0 - 75 ---------------------------- Pre-Primer
76 - 120 ---------------------------- Primer
121 - 170 ­---------------------------- First Reader-Level I
171 - 210 ---------------------------- Second Reader-
Level II
Above 210 ---------------------------- Third Reader-Level
III

8. Directions For Testing on the Dolch List
Individual Oral test
1. Give one copy of the Dolch List to the child. Let him
fill the necessary data called for.
2. Get this copy for scoring and give another copy to
the child from which to read the following
directions, “These words are found in books in
school and in newspapers, magazines, and other
reading matters. Now, this is what you are going to
do. When I say “Begin” you are to look sharply at
each word and read each cleanly as fast as you can
from top to bottom.”

9. Directions For Testing on the Dolch List
Individual Oral test
3. Start the test when you think that the chill
has established rapport.
4. Mark with a (1) all words said correctly.
5. Give approximately fifteen seconds
(maximum) for reading a word. Go much
faster if possible.

10. Directions For Testing on the Dolch List
Individual Oral test
6.Indicate by writing in the word that a child says when
he gives a wrong pronunciation.
7. Do not count poor enunciations as mispronunciations
agin, for again, wan for when, git for get.
However, indicate the child’s pronunciation.
8. Put no marks at all on words which a child does kit
try or says he doesn’t know.

11. Directions For Testing on the Dolch List
Individual Oral test
9. Mark every word which a child says wrong. If he later corrects
himself and pronounces the word correctly indicate this by
putting a (*) sign beside the word.
10. ADD COMMENTS on the side of the sheet whenever possible,
which will give clues to the child’s reaction, such as: “He makes
much of his phonics.” “He is inclined to spell out the word.” “he
goes very slowly.” “He evidently depends upon context clues.”
11. The score is the number of words marked (1). Always indicate
as a subsidiary score the number of words marked with (*).

12. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
a brown had am
I six saw
too be no
funny
to today long put
two not yes
take
the little on
in one three
see black this or
into my around ran

13. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
and at was work
up all just
blue so ten out
she by got
yellow do if
he are soon new
go him its
you her some have
we on from

14. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
big green fly
red eat then drink
jump four but sit
it said as
play away under went
down run before has
for they walk seven
old that stop where
is going out many
me did his

15. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
look who then would
can like when laugh
good come round give
now our ask far
came want sing show
buy thank must any
very better five try
hold clean myself find
hot been over wish

16. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
open never right ca
light these why kn
found write please on
read first upon pi
were these give do
best make once bo
because your together sh
grow ride us
fast help tell hu

17. DOLCH BASIC SIGHT VOCABULARY
TEST
off call ate
draw here their wash
bring sleep pull full
will what pretty every
after could live them
think every after cold
does goes which about
cut done fall kind
much small start there

18. THANK YOU & GOD BLESS!