Word List Sources & Licensing Credits
Transparency is essential to educational trust. This page documents the public corpus data sources, licensing terms, independent compilation methodology, and strict client-side privacy architecture behind Worksheet Mill’s curated spelling presets.
1. Corpus Source & CC BY 4.0 Attribution
Worksheet Mill utilizes statistical word frequency distributions and natural language corpora provided by the Leipzig Corpora Collection (LCC) to establish empirical vocabulary baselines for elementary grade bands.
Official Citation:
Universität Leipzig, Institut für Informatik, Abteilung Automatische Sprachverarbeitung.
Leipzig Corpora Collection (LCC), English Corpus Pool.
Available at: corpora.uni-leipzig.de
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). In accordance with CC BY 4.0 requirements, Worksheet Mill gratefully acknowledges the Leipzig Corpora Collection, notes that word selections were extracted and reorganized for classroom practice, and confirms that the licensor does not specifically endorse Worksheet Mill.
2. Independent Selection & Compilation Methodology
Raw frequency counts do not automatically translate into effective phonics or spelling practice. To create practical ready-to-use lists, Worksheet Mill developed an independent editorial compilation process:
Empirical List Sizes (5 to 25 words)
List lengths reflect researched elementary school weekly pacing: Kindergarten uses 5 words; Grade 1 uses 10 words; Grades 2–3 use 15 words; Grade 4 uses 20 words; and Grade 5 uses 25 words.
Phonics & Pattern Taxonomy
Pattern presets follow a natural phonetic developmental sequence: Short Vowels (CVC) → Silent E (CVCe) → Vowel Teams → R-Controlled Vowels → Affixes (Prefixes & Suffixes).
Under copyright principles affirmed in Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co. (1991), individual English words and phonics facts are non-copyrightable facts, while our unique arrangement, grade allocation, and sorting criteria represent Worksheet Mill’s original compilation.
3. Statement of Original Compilation & Non-Copying
We adhere to strict legal and intellectual integrity guidelines. Our word lists are independently compiled and are not copied from copyrighted sources, commercial publications, or proprietary curricula:
- No copying of proprietary lists: Our presets are never copied from commercial spelling textbooks or copyright-asserting online repositories such as Spelling Words Well or K12Reader.
- No reproduction of commercial programs: We do not replicate proprietary sorting inventories, commercial textbook word banks, or trademarked classroom phonics programs. Our pattern categories use standard, non-proprietary linguistic taxonomy.
- No sequential Fry 1000 duplication: The Fry 1000 word list is not embedded in its original 10×100 ranked order. High-frequency vocabulary is derived independently from the open Leipzig corpus.
- No unsubstantiated marketing claims: Worksheet Mill provides flexible, teacher-directed practice materials for classrooms and homeschoolers. We make no claims of official state endorsement or specific student score outcomes.
4. Static Bundling vs. Browser-Only Client Privacy
It is critical to distinguish between our curated preset word lists and your personal classroom lists:
A Curated Presets (Statically Embedded)
The grade-level and pattern preset word lists are bundled directly into the static website code. They are open, transparent, and instantly accessible to every visitor without any account or login.
B Your Custom Lists (Strictly In-Browser)
Any spelling list you type, paste, or modify in the generator runs 100% locally in your web browser. Your private words are never sent across the network, never stored on a server, and never logged into cookies or analytics.
5. What Worksheet Codes Save
When you copy or load a repeatable worksheet code:
- With a curated preset: The code token records the selected preset identifier (such as
grade-2orpattern-cvc), the worksheet format, difficulty setting, and layout seed. - With a custom list: To protect student and teacher privacy, your private word list is deliberately omitted from the shareable code token. The code saves only the layout and difficulty parameters, ensuring personal data never leaves your computer.