How To Make

High Frequency
Words Stick:
Science-Based Routines
That Aren’t Boring!

by Alison Ryan, M.Ed.

LearningAtThePrimaryPond.com

AGENDA
>> What the research says (and does not say) about teaching
high frequency words

>> The fastest, most effective way to teach high frequency words
- using brain research

>> My 5-6 step process for teaching high frequency words

>> Dos and don’ts for choosing independent high frequency word
practice activities

THANK YOU GIFTS FOR YOU

Stay to the end for:
>> Word mapping templates
>> A big list of high frequency
words, grouped by phonics pattern
>> Certi cate of attendance
>> High frequency word bundle
giveaway!
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 High
frequency
words vs.
sight words

A list of 100-200 high

frequency words will make
up over 50% of the words in
school texts!
Johns & Wilke, 2018

Dolch, Fry -
what other lists
do you use?
 Regularly Irregularly
Spelled Spelled
can come
help said
which do

Sometimes a word
follows rules we just
don’t know about!

Example: give

“High function words were among

the rst to be written down in
English centuries ago and do not
represent contemporary
pronunciations.”
(Baugh & Cable, 2012)
Hiebert, 2020
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Is it still bene cial to
teach regularly
spelled words?

What is the heart

word approach?

put

Do I have to use the

heart words approach if
I want to follow the
science of reading?
 The fastest,
most effective way to
teach high frequency
words per brain research
is…

To activate 3 key parts

of the brain when
teaching words!

3 Key Parts
(back left side of the brain)

Where
Where Where
spelling /
sounds meaning
letters
are stored is stored
are stored
 Orthographic Mapping
>> The “in the brain process” through which a word becomes a
sight word for a reader

>> As this process is happening, the brain is connecting the

phonemes (sounds) in a word to the letters in the word

>> This is why we want to talk about the sounds and letters in high
frequency words, rather just ask students to memorize a whole
word (by doing so, we facilitate and speed up the orthographic
mapping process)

Sound out high

frequency words? Yes!

“McGeown, Medford, and Moxon (2013) found

that students with good phonic decoding skills
took a more phonemic approach to sounding
out irregular words than those who…relied more
on the overall look at the word. Those
approaching irregular words phonically were
more successful at reading them correctly than
those who used the more “visual” approach.”

Kilpatrick, 2015
Also, neuroscience has shown that
many struggling readers
rely on the front side
of the brain to read
whole words by sight
(not the back left side).

Let’s look at an example of

what it might look like to
activate those 3 parts of
the brain to teach a high
frequency word!

STEP 1: SHOW THE MEANING

>> Present a sentence to

students that includes the
target word

>> When possible, make the

sentence personally
meaningful to students
 STEP 2: STUDENT SENTENCES
>> Have students come up with
their own original sentences
that use the word

>> “Think, pair, share” routine is

great for this

>> A few can share out with

the entire class

STEP 3: LETTERS TO SOUNDS

sh oul d
>> Students can close their eyes
and say the phonemes (sounds) in
the word
>> Map the word into sound boxes and show students the
relationship between each sound and the letters

>> Discuss any surprising sounds

>> If you like, students can map the word into sound boxes on
their own, too

STEP 4: MOVEMENT

>> Students can tap out

the word on their arms,
spelling it aloud

>> Use a different

movement from what you
use for segmenting words
 STEP 5: WRITING

>> Students write the

word

>> Try a plastic knitting

screen to create “bumpy
letters” to trace later
(optional)

STEP 6: SENTENCES
>> Students write original sentences with the word

>> Students read sentences to a partner

>> This could be done later as independent work

>> Not necessary with early Kindergarten students

There are lots of “right” ways

to do this - but make sure
you address all 3 parts
of the brain!
 Deciding When To Teach Words
>> When possible, match the words you’re teaching to the phonics
skill you’re working on

>> Example: teach “for” when you’re working on r-controlled vowels

>> Do the best you can to match up words, but perfection in

matching things up is NOT necessary!

>> Sometimes it’s more practical for students to learn a word

before that pattern is taught (Kindergarten example: “like”)

>> In your freebie, you’ll receive a

list of the 220 Dolch and 100 Fry
words categorized by phonics
pattern

>> This can help you choose your

order of instruction by matching
it to your phonics scope and
sequence, where possible

Questions so far?
 Dos & Don’ts for
Independent Practice
Activities

WORD READING
✅ DOs ❌ DON’Ts
✅ Model how to read ❌ Use very many activities
words as part of each where students could
activity potentially not read the
words at all
✅ Try partner
accountability or
technology to help

WORD READING
ENGAGING ALL 3 BRAIN AREAS
✅ DOs
✅ Incorporate reading
and spelling practice
activities
❌ DON’Ts
❌ Limit HF word practice
to solo word building

✅ Use at least some

activities that involve the
meaning of the word

ENGAGING ALL 3 BRAIN AREAS

>> High Frequency Word Focus Sheets

>> Brain Area 1: sounds of the word

>> Brain Area 2: spelling and letters

>> Brain Area 3: meaning of the word

IN CONTEXT PRACTICE
✅ DOs ❌ DON’Ts
✅ Provide opportunities to ❌ Rely only on activities
read complete sentences where kids are reading and
with their words building individual words

✅ Provide opportunities to
read passages / texts with
their words
 IN CONTEXT PRACTICE

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ACTIVITIES

These make it easy to follow the do’s for
independent practice!

THE BUNDLES COVER

✓Fry rst 100 words / Dolch Pre-Primer / Dolch Primer / Dolch
First Grade / Dolch Second Grade words
✓Reading words (+ sentences and texts with the words)
✓Writing and spelling words
✓Multi-sensory activities
✓Solo and partner activities
✓All of the best practices we’ve discussed in this workshop!
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 FOCUS SHEETS
>> Students will master new
words more quickly by engaging
all 3 parts of the brain

>> The consistent structure of

the pages means fewer
activities for you to teach (also
helps students remember what
to do)

PASSAGES
>> Short passages
are great for in-
context practice

>> Also give you an

opportunity to assess
student word
learning

GAMES
>> Combination of solo and
partner/small group games

>> Great for partner

accountability (encourages
word reading)

>> Are just plain FUN, which

motivates students to practice!
 ORDER OF WORDS
>> The words are covered in the order of the original Fry and
Dolch lists, but…

>> You can adapt to match your own scope and sequence /
desired sequence of instruction!

>> When adapting, just be aware of any other words in

sentences, texts, or games that students might not know yet

>> Prefer to make your own for your list or sequence? There’s an
editable bundle, too!

TEACHER FEEDBACK
“The games and activities are fun and engaging for
students!”

“I love the fact that I can teach a game once and then
just use different words in them to practice.”

“These activities are very doable for students. Once the

rules and objective(s) have been explained and practiced, it
can be a center activity.”

GIVEAWAY

If you hear your name and email, type “I’m here!” in the chat. Also, email
support@learningattheprimarypond.com to let us know which bundle you’d like!
 25% off
Sept. 16 -
Sept. 26!
(no code
needed)

THANK YOU!!
Freebie + certi cate will also be
emailed to you afterward
More questions?

support@learningattheprimarypond.com

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