Let's talk about High Frequency Words! Most primary grade teachers teach high frequency words in some capacity. This practice is part of most curriculums and programs because there is evidence to support that students are more capable of moving through reading levels when they have a high frequency word knowledge base. When we know better, then we can teach better. Incorporating high frequency words is important in any literacy program, but let's discuss some of the specifics so that as you use them with your students, you are able to craft the most meaningful lessons.
High Frequency Words are the most frequently used words in text as determined by two researchers, Dolch and Fry. These are the two most widely used and referenced lists. However, what many teachers do not know is that these lists were created using two different approaches. Dolch started with books that would be used for beginning readers and Fry started with words that were for older students and worked backwards. Interestingly, both first 100 words are almost identical on each list. Here is a quick visual to help make the definition clear..
High frequency words can be irregularly spelled words OR regularly spelled words, remember they are just the most FREQUENT. Their structure can vary.
For example, words like: is, what, of, the.. are irregularly spelled words. Words such as: in, if, like, can... are regularly spelled words that can be phonetically sounded out and read with success.
Here's where it gets a little tricky...
As students start to grow their phonetic understanding they are better able to decode some of those regularly spelled high frequency words. Before that, they can not "sound out" those words. If a Kindergarten student is using the word "like" the chances are that they have not yet been directly taught the "magic e" patterns. Therefore, the word "like" is not a phonetic word to that particular student...instead it is a word that they have to learn through other techniques because it is still a highly frequent word that they need to learn as soon as possible. Whew! Right?!
We teach these words as Red Words in the Orton Gillingham approach. Words such as "like" and "the" are taught in the same way, even though one is phonetic and other one is irregular because to a child that hasn't learned all the patterns yet, neither one makes any sense.
Red Words are taught with multisensory methods coupled with the "power of three" rule. We say and spell using bumpy paper 3 times, we trace over word spelling 3 times, we arm tap 3 times, and we write and say without looking 3 times. We use the color red because we want them to "stop" and know what the word looks like. Essentially, we are teaching red words as a word they will have to recognize by sight and cannot sound out.
Our red words were crafted based off of the Fry Word list. This was mostly because that was the direction taken by our teaching staff. As someone who works on developing curriculum and curricular materials for a school district, it is important to include those who will be using it in the process. Teachers have a lot to offer and valuable perspectives to consider.
Our curriculum for red words includes:
- a grade by grade break down of which words are taught in addition to during which marking periods
- direct instruction of approximately 4 words a week depending on the grade level
- word cards organized by marking period
- rapid naming lists organized by marking period
- red word book pages organized by marking period
- end of marking period assessments and letters to go home to families for home/school connections
- fluency phrases for deeper practice
Visit my TPT store Simply Primary to grab my well crafted and strategically organized High Frequency Word resource for Kindergarten. The curriculum is year long and addresses 50 of the most highly frequent words. There is also one for First Grade! If you are an interventionist or reading specialist working with multiple grades, then having both Kindergarten and First Grade is incredibly helpful when directly teaching high frequency words using the Red Word method.
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