Oxford Wordlist
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The Oxford Wordlist NOW FULLY DECODABLE!

The Oxford Wordlist has been aligned to the Letters and Sounds progression, supporting the teaching and learning of important high-frequency words. The new Oxford Wordlist poster will help you introduce high-frequency words to students as they master the phonic knowledge necessary to decode them.

What's in and what's out?

Here is a preview of some of the words that are in and out!

  • Ten years on, the first 11 words are the same, but they are in a slightly different order.

  • Boys use contractions such as can't and that's more frequently than girls.

  • The word computer no longer features, perhaps because of increased tablet and smart phone usage.

  • More informal language is included, for example: super, awesome, amazing, crazy, stuff.

  • The less formal greeting hi appears, indicating a move away from the more formal hello.

  • Encouragingly for teachers, the words books and reading have made the list. (The word read was in the 2007 Oxford Wordlist).

  • The world of make-believe sees boys using words such as ninja, while girls use words such as princess, castle, fairy, rainbow and unicorn.

Oxford Wordlist

10 years on: the Oxford Wordlist is updated!

The Oxford Wordlist research study was conducted in 2017 in Australian schools and compares data with the first Oxford Wordlist research released 10 years ago, in 2007. This Oxford Wordlist provides an updated list of high frequency words for writing and reading.

What's in and what's out?

Here is a preview of some of the words that are in and out!

  • Ten years on, the first 11 words are the same, but they are in a slightly different order.

  • Boys use contractions such as can't and that's more frequently than girls.

  • The word computer no longer features, perhaps because of increased tablet and smart phone usage.

  • More informal language is included, for example: super, awesome, amazing, crazy, stuff.

  • The less formal greeting hi appears, indicating a move away from the more formal hello.

  • Encouragingly for teachers, the words books and reading have made the list. (The word read was in the 2007 Oxford Wordlist).

  • The world of make-believe sees boys using words such as ninja, while girls use words such as princess, castle, fairy, rainbow and unicorn.

What is the Oxford Wordlist?

The Oxford Wordlist includes the 500 most frequently used words by children in their first three years of school. We've examined these word choices against the same demographic criteria used in the first research conducted 10 years ago, and explored what these word choices indicate about how children's identities and social experiences have changed in the past decade. This new research also informs new publishing by Oxford University Press.

Oxford Wordlist

What is the Oxford Wordlist?

The Oxford Wordlist includes the 500 most frequently used words by children in their first three years of school. We've examined these word choices against the same demographic criteria used in the first research conducted 10 years ago, and explored what these word choices indicate about how children's identities and social experiences have changed in the past decade. This new research also informs new publishing by Oxford University Press.

Oxford Reading for Comprehension Decodables

The Oxford Wordlist aligned to Letters and Sounds informs Oxford University Press’ local Primary publishing and is an integral feature in our new reading program Oxford Reading for Comprehension Decodables. Use the Oxford Wordlist with students to introduce and practice high-frequency words and support them in becoming successful readers.

LEARN MORE
Oxford Wordlist Decodables

Oxford Reading for Comprehension Decodables

The Oxford Wordlist aligned to Letters and Sounds informs Oxford University Press’ local Primary publishing and is an integral feature in our new reading program Oxford Reading for Comprehension Decodables. Use the Oxford Wordlist with students to introduce and practice high-frequency words and support them in becoming successful readers.

Oxford Reading for Comprehension

The Oxford Wordlist is an integral feature of our new reading program, Oxford Reading for Comprehension. The Oxford Wordlist top 500 words are introduced and reinforced in each book, and focus words are featured in the teacher and parent support.

LEARN MORE
Oxford Wordlist

Oxford Reading for Comprehension

The Oxford Wordlist is an integral feature of our new reading program, Oxford Reading for Comprehension. The Oxford Wordlist top 500 words are introduced and reinforced in each book, and focus words are featured in the teacher and parent support.

LEARN MORE

Research and advice by educators, for educators

As experts in children's language, Oxford University Press is constantly listening to Australian children, and reflecting on their use of language to develop an understanding of how their ideas are communicated.

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Oxford Wordlist

Transform student writing skills

Fun, engaging writing activities, supported by a data-driven approach.

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Meet our Oxford Wordlist researcher, Anne Bayetto

Oxford Wordlist

Anne has been a disability support coordinator, a founding member of the Learning Difficulties Support Team (SA), and a literacy policy and project officer. Anne offers professional learning sessions for SPELD and provides consultancy and professional learning sessions for educators across Australia. She is currently the reading expert for the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) project, initiated by the Australian Primary Principals Association.

Anne has been a disability support coordinator, a founding member of the Learning Difficulties Support Team (SA), and a literacy policy and project officer. Anne offers professional learning sessions for SPELD and provides consultancy and professional learning sessions for educators across Australia. She is currently the reading expert for the Principals as Literacy Leaders (PALL) project, initiated by the Australian Primary Principals Association.

New Early Year Dictionaries and materials now available

The Oxford Wordlist also features in our early years dictionaries, personal dictionaries, and the Oxford Handwriting series.

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Oxford Wordlist

New Early Year Dictionaries and materials now available

The Oxford Wordlist also features in our early years dictionaries, personal dictionaries, and the Oxford Handwriting series.

LEARN MORE

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