Page 2 | Ways to help 5 year old DD learn 'tricky' words

yawningbear · 2013-11-30T08:00:59+00:00

We have a big sheet of tricky words to learn and --we--she is really struggling. After much time and effort she has now learnt most of her sounds, the jolly phonics rhymes were the key to this I think. She is still struggling to blend and now she has to learn a load of words by sight. It is not coming easily to her. They include words such as 'everyone' and 'pulled' and all have to be learnt by sight. We have been advised they are to be 'assessed' again next week so the pressure is on.

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

maizieD · 01/12/2013 11:43

Sorry about typos

CecilyP · 01/12/2013 12:00

'overwhelming'

That is exactly the right word, OP. Regardless of the relative merits of whole words or phonics, this sounds like pouring a whole sack of coal on a fire where you have only just got the kindling to light.

^'The teacher holds up a flashcard and the children respond by calling out the word just like Pavlov's pup. No attention is given to the letters.'
'Any teacher who does that should be shot, but i have never ever met any who do.'^

I bet you have, masha; that is exactly how sight words have been taught since I was in infants school (many moons ago) to the current resurgence of phonics. I have to say I remember finding flash cards rather exciting - not sure why. And I am not too happy with you wanting to shoot my lovely infant school teachers who are probably now enjoying their retirement.

mrz · 01/12/2013 14:22

In masha's defence she wasn't educated in this country and has had limited experience of primary schools.

Jinty64 · 01/12/2013 16:48

MaizieD I understand how phonics instruction works however, in the school ds3 attends, they are given lists of words to learn before they move on to each new reading level, they are given lists of "bronze, silver and gold" high frequency words to learn and the reading books are "look and say". They do learn phonics but only 1 sound a week so it would take a while to be able to read many books this way. This is the way they are taught. It sounds as if OP's dd is being taught the same way.

mrz · 01/12/2013 16:59

I'm afraid your daughter isn't being taught phonics Jinty64

Jinty64 · 01/12/2013 18:51

He's a son. They are not being taught to read using phonics but they are covering the phonic sounds - currently doing igh (P3). Fortunately he appears to have worked it out for himself. I did the year 1 phonics test with him last year and he had no problem with it. There are, however, a small group in his class who are really struggling with reading and are now on a different reading scheme.

mrz · 01/12/2013 18:59

No Jinty they aren't being taught phonics ... covering the sounds isn't phonics I'm afraid/

maizieD · 01/12/2013 19:12

Sorry, Jinty64. I'm afraid that when people talk about 'word learning' I tend to assume that they don't understand that there is no need for it if the phonics is taught properly.

You are so lucky that your son has managed to work out the phonics for himself, despite the awful teaching. I feel very sorry for the strugglers in his class because changing their reading scheme isn't going to do anything for them

scarlettsmummy2 · 01/12/2013 19:28

Op- are you at an independent school? My daughter is and this is the same method she is being taught. My daughter isn't even five yet and we are struggling too. We have a word bag to work on every week with a mixture of words to be sounded out and also 'tricky' words. She is in the bottom group

Mashabell · 02/12/2013 10:57

For reading, 75% of English words are phonically decodable in a straightforward way, (for spelling, only 40% are completely predictable).
Among the 300 most used English words, the proportion of tricky-to-read ones is slightly higher, but in 176 / 300 are amenable to simple phonic decoding. To teach children to read those with anything other than decoding would be stupid, and I have not met a single teacher who did not, or does not, do so. With repeated exposure, most children are able to recognise them as sight words. (That's what all fluent readers are able to do, like u and me.) But initially, most children learn to read those with phonics:
a am an and as at back bad began can cat dad gran granddad
had has hat have magic man ran sat than that that’s

baby came gave made make place take

away day may play say way

car dark garden hard park -

air - because – saw

the bed best end get help her let let’s new next red them then went when yes -
better eggs fell tell well

been feet green keep need queen see sleep three tree trees -

big children did didn’t different fish him his if in is it it’s its king little miss still thing things think this which will wind wish with
birds first girl

inside like liked cried time while, I’ve - by fly my why -
night right

across along box dog floppy fox from got hot
long lots not of off on stop stopped top -

or for horse morning

but duck fun jumped just much mum must run sun under up us
use

about around found house mouse our out round shouted
boy suddenly

The other 124 /300 are trickier. And although the 'phonics must be the only show in town' evangelists will shout at me for pasting in words again, I don't know how else I can make this clear:

man can... - any many all called small - want wanted was what water - after all asked called can’t fast last plants - said
gave make ... - have are
because ... - laughed

the - be he he’s me she we we’re

even here these ... - ever every everyone never there there’s were where

they ... - eyes key ;
each eat please tea .... - great head ready bear;

big wind ... - find I’ll I’m
while ... - live lived river

cried ... - friends

box dog fox... - cold old told - another coming don’t most mother oh once only other work;
go going no so ... - do into to two who ;
home over .... - one come some something gone;

under up us ...- pulled put;
about around shouted ... - could couldn’t thought through would you your;

food room school soon too ... - book door good look looked looking looks took;

down how now town .... - grow know snow window;
give - giant; people.

Mashabell · 02/12/2013 11:00

For reading, 75% of English words are phonically decodable in a straightforward way, (for spelling, only 40% are completely predictable).
Among the 300 most used English words, the proportion of tricky-to-read ones is slightly higher, but 176 / 300 are amenable to simple phonic decoding. To teach children to read those with anything other than decoding would be stupid, and I have not met a single teacher who did not, or does not, do so. With repeated exposure, most children are able to recognise them as sight words. (That's what all fluent readers are able to do, just like u and me.) But initially, most children learn to read those with phonics:
a am an and as at back bad began can cat dad gran granddad
had has hat have magic man ran sat than that that’s