Key words?

[norfolklass]

DS started reception last week and has today been given a ORT book to read...well its just pictures so has to re-tell the story,a box of sounds and 9 key words to learn. Book is absolutely fine and can re-tell the story with ease,sounds are fine(they are the first JP sounds SATPIN) but am a bit confused about the key words. I had thought there were only 45 key words they had to learn by the end of reception and had already done my PFB bit and purchased some magnetic reception key words which have been on our fridge for ages but now according to the school there are 100 key words they have to know.
Typically he has been given them on a friday night so can't ask the teacher but it just seems an awful lot of words to learn. DS is 4.6 and reasonably bright I suppose...he can sound out some cvc words such as cat,dog,hat etc and these words are:a,I,in,the,an etc but like a typical 4 year old boy is in not mega keen on doing it.
So just wondered if there are actually only 45 key words that they are expected to know or are there 100 words which seems a lot to me! Also are they supposed to be able to sound them out or recognise them by sight?

There are 100 keywords IRRC

Our school like them to know them all by the end of yr 1

yy 100 high frequency words, expected to be able to read and spell them by the end of yr 1

So loads of time

Also chill on the hot housing if you can, your child is not even 5 yet, let him learn at school and be a child at home, yes?

this website is a great resource

Sounds to me like the 100 high frequency words. We call them 'speed reads' and the children are encouraged to read them on sight without sounding out (some will be decodable eg in an but others aren't eg the I)

I would just keep them in sight, put them on the fridge as he brings them home and play some games with him when he wants to. Don't push him, he's 4!

Thanks for that sagacious...thats what I figured as well its just the letter we got from the school this afternoon said it was 100 words they had to learn by the end of reception which is just crazy!

Boys-thanks for your quick reply. If you read my op properly you would realise that hot-housing him is actually the last thing I am doing. We got the words to go on the fridge because the little girl next door (who is 6 btw!) had them on her fridge and DS wanted to know what they said so I got some and we played games with them which is how he figured out what some of them said...that is all. I was saying in my op that I thought there was 45 words that they "should" know by the end of reception(which still seems a hell of a lot) & yet we have now been told there are 100 which imo is far too many for a 4 year old to have to be learning when all he should be doing is playing at the moment. He has been interested in words etc over the summer so have been gently encouraging by guessing words on road signs etc but am in no way at all intending to "hot-house" him...was just genuinely concerned that 4 year olds were expected to learn 100 words but obviously the school have misinformed us.

I can't believe schools are still sending home sight words post Rose.

Thanks for that popmum-will have a look at that later I think.

Angrypixie-yep thats exactly what I was going to do...just keep them in sight and let him do it as and when he wants. Wish we'd be given more information tbh as nobody has said what we're supposed to do with them...wasn't expecting this so soon either! He's only just got used to going (spent all last week in tears cause didn't want to go) so am a bit shocked that we've got this so flippin quickly.

Mrz-aren't they supposed to be doing this then??
If you haven't already guessed this is my first time being a "school mum" so this is all completely alien to me. We just got this book,box of sounds,and list of words with the instructions that there are 100 words to learn and they must start by learning these with no suggestion of how to actually do it.

To be honest most of the sight words that are being send out are words that cant be sounded out and need memory games and other things applied to them so that they can be learnt. Put the word on/find the word games are good. For eaxmple some words are easier to learn.

we were given a reading learning scheme which introduced some sounds some sight then back to sounds. They started with the sight words see, the, they, play, look and i and suggested games like putting them round the house and sending the child to find them. It didnt matter if the word brought back was wrong, the word was 'read' (by the adult) and child sent to find another word until the correct word was found. Then another word sent for (if any left). This game is good for a rainny afternoon for 10mins peace when they are driving you mad.

The place game needs the cards on the floor and asking for a word to put on the tv/fridge etc. You can guide the choice of the word.

Some schools send keyrings of words for helping to learn the common words. its never all in one go and although it seems alot once the child gets more into the swing of reading (in a couple of months) you will find they are pciking the words up through the books rather then having to slog at it. If you are really worried I would suggest picking 6 of the words he is already a bit familiar with the play the hunt/place game.

Both these games make a fun game which also encourages familiarity with the words. Its about making it fun. use you imagination about how to incorporate recognising words into games where the focus is on an action rather then reading.

could they be the key words that go with the ORT sceem?

DidEinsteinsMum on Fri 18-Sep-09 20:42:08
To be honest most of the sight words that are being send out are words that cant be sounded out and need memory games and other things applied to them so that they can be learnt.

Sorry to disagree but most of the 100 keywords can be sounded out very easily

a
an
as
at
in
is
it
to
on
can
dad
had
and
get
big
the
not
got
up
mum
but
of
I
no
back
put
off
him
his
if
go
into
will
that
this
then
he
she
we
me
now
down
look
too
all are my her them with see for be was you they
went
It?s
from
said have like so do some come children just help were there little one
w hen
out
what

the others can be sounded out once children have been taught the rules.

Learning long lists of words by sight isn't the most effective way of learning to read

Phase 5 HFW and tricky words
Don?t
old
I?m
by
time
oh
their
people
came
make
here
saw
very
called
asked
cou ld
house
about
your
day
made
Mr.
Mrs.
looked

I mostly agree mrz but children need some of those words before they learn the rule.

For example, children will want to use the word like in their own writing before they have learned the split digraph rule. We send home a very small number of words that meet this criteria, but not the vast majority of the HF words which as you rightly say can be readily accessed using phonic knowledge,

DD is now in year 1, but we were never given a list of any words for them to learn at home etc. It did suprise me how many words dd learned quite quickly at school as she would bring home books and know words I thought she wouldn't have a hope of knowing! The 'problem' I find dd has now is that she still sounds out some of the very easy words (like in, an) because that is how she was taught it do it in reception to start with! How can I stop her sounding them out and just read them?! She will read words like 'couldn't' etc by sight!

(sorry to hijack thread )

Mrz - the list that we have does include 90% of the words that you have listed as being possible to sound out. Very interesting. Blended phonic(?) sounds and interesting rules like the magic e vowel change has a few represented words purely for getting more interesting text earlier then possible other wise. Goodness knows where our list has come from them. Then again it will be interesting to see what the school sends out next week reading wise.

Pants! supposed to say the list that we have doesnt include...

angrypixie yes the children may need some words before they have learnt the rules which is why I said most not all.
Words such as like that they use often in their writing are picked up easily by repetition rather than needing long 100 word sight word lists.

Although we are quite happy for children to spell 'like' as 'lighk' or lighc' in the early days as it is proof they are applying their phonic knowledge!

I've only taught my class as far as k so far but I teach the ie spelling first so I'd be happy with liek or liec