Getting the Words Off the WallLearning High Frequency Words that are

Illogically Spelled or Pronounced

Jean Walker October 7, 2009

Sight Words v. High Frequency Words

Sight Words• Any word that can be

pronounced automatically• May include low frequency

words• Differs from person to

person

High Frequency Words• Words that are common in

texts• Must become sight words

for a reader to be fluent• Most are words with no

meaning

McKenna & Stahl 2009 p. 100; Cunningham 2009 p. 88

High Frequency Words in Action

“Where the Ashes Are – Part 1” excerpt from QRI-IV

“Where the Ashes Are – Part 1”

“Wake up, wake up!” my mother shouted. “We’ve got to get out of here! How can you sleep through all this?” She pulled the covers off me, handed me my clothes, and rushed out of the room.

“Wait!” I cried out, throwing off my pajamas. One leg in and one out of my dark blue school trousers, I stumbled over to my sister Dieu-Ha’s room. My mother was yelling, “Are you deaf?” Get out! We’re going downstairs!”

It was five in the morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the high-ceilinged rooms of the government guest house.

High Frequency Words in Action

Fry Sight Words: 1st 100 Words

“Where the Ashes Are – Part 1”

“Wake up, wake up!” my mother shouted. “We’ve got to get out of here! How can you sleep through all this?” She pulled the covers off me, handed me my clothes, and rushed out of the room.

“Wait!” I cried out, throwing off my pajamas. One leg in and one out of my dark blue school trousers, I stumbled over to my sister Dieu-Ha’s room. My mother was yelling, “Are you deaf?” Get out! We’re going downstairs!”

It was five in the morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the high-ceilinged rooms of the government guest house.

52 of the 102 words are on First List“Where the Ashes Are – Part 1” excerpt from QRI-IVFry’s Sight Word List: McKenna & Stahl 2009, p. 117

Why are High Frequency Words Hard to Learn if They Are so Common?

• High frequency words are often abstract words are words that do not have a meaning

orHave a meaning that changes oftenEx. The, And, A, To, Is, Are, Have, There, Here

• Many share the same lettersEx. Of, For and From; On and No; Was and Saw

Cunningham 2009 p. 88

How Should I Teach High Frequency Words?

1. Help students to create meaning for abstract words.

2. Allow students to practice reading and writing high frequency words.

3. Compare similar high frequency words to each other.

Ways to Create Meaning

• Children need to create meaning through repetitive text.

• For example, create a chart with simple repetitive sentences or phrases with the high frequency word underlined and allow children to add to the chart. (Cunningham, 2009 p. 89)

• Create a Job Description for High Frequency words that includes what the word does and simple sentence or phrases as examples.

Using the Word Of

a cup of hot chocolate

a plate of cookies

a box of crayons

Ways to Create Meaning

• Children need to create meaning through repetitive text.

• For example, create a chart with simple repetitive sentences or phrases with the high frequency word underlined and allow children to add to the chart. (Cunningham, 2009 p. 89)

• Create a Job Description for High Frequency words that includes what the word does and simple sentence or phrases as examples.

TheJob DescriptionAnnounces a person, place or thing

The waiter is coming.

We go to the park.

The dog runs.

Activities for Learning to Read and Spell High Frequency Words

• How Many Words Can you Find?• Pig• Ransom Words• Tracing Words• Roll, Say & Keep• Painting with Water• Pipe Cleaner Words

Activities for Learning High Frequency Words

Spelling• Ransom Words• Tracing Words• Painting with Water• Pipe Cleaner Words

Reading• How Many Words Can You

Find?• Pig• Roll, Say & Keep

Out of Your Seat Activities

• Jumping Jacks• Squats• Apple Picking• Swimming• Hand Jive• Dribble and Shoot• Marching

Fuhrmann, Joe. Working with Words Block: Word Wall Routine. Retrieved from http://www.k111.k12.il.us/lafayette/fourblocks/word_wall_routine.htm