Despite teaching children that letters represent sounds in words, some schools are still sending home confusing instructions regarding the reading of high-frequency words…. http://literacyblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Read MoreHigh-Frequency Words
Should children be given lists of sight words to learn at home?
Read John Walker’s blogpost on the perennial issue of sight word lists that children are expected to learn at home: http://www.tickld.com/
Read MoreHow to decode ‘tricky words’
The Synthetic Phonics approach to reading is to encourage beginner readers to sound out graphemes in a word and blend them together into a word. What to do when they encounter common words with ‘tricky’ graphemes they have not yet been taught? Here is an explantion of how to teach ‘tricky words’ to beginner readers while staying faithful to blending strategies and […]
Read MoreNew buzz word for ‘tricky words’ in the new National Curriculum
This week I learned from Susan Godsland www.dyslexics.org.uk that the new term for ‘tricky words’ in the new National Curriculum is ‘common exception’ words. This term that is rather confusing. Firstly, why exception? Exception from what? Secondly, as Susan pointed out – it is not the word that is tricky/complex/ irregular/exceptional. It is the part of the word – the […]
Read MoreWhy is the term ‘tricky words’ tricky?
The term ‘tricky words’ is used for some common high-frequency words that a beginner reader may encounter. For example words like ‘the’ or ‘said’. These words have complex spellings (graphemes) that the child may not yet have learned. Because these words are so common, there is need in the early stages of reading to provide children […]
Read MoreWhat is a ‘tricky word’?
Fluent readers may find it difficult to understand why beginner readers find some words difficult to decode. Take the word ‘was’: It is a ‘tricky word’. What is so tricky about it?
Read MoreAre ‘tricky’ words and high-frequency words the same?
These days we hear a lot about ‘tricky words’ or phonically ‘irregular’ words, ‘sight words’ and high-frequency words. Do all these terms mean the same thing?
Read MoreTeaching high-frequency words and phonics – two conflicting approaches?
Wouldn’t it be great if we could teach those high-frequency words strictly within the phonic progression of our programme?
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