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High-frequency words are words that occur most frequently in written material and do not follow phonetic rules or, as we say in the EL Education curriculum, "don't play fair." Due to this fact, it is important that students are able to navigate these words with ease to improve their reading fluency and comprehension. While high-frequency words on their own don't carry much meaning, they are essential to sentences and help students gather meaning. Below you will find five activities for each day of the week that parents can do with their children at home as high-frequency words are being introduced cycle by cycle.
Read it, say it, write it, read it again
Use high-frequency words in sentences (oral and written)
Read a list of high-frequency words and time yourself on fluency (keep running list)
Search for high frequency words in sentences / poems and underline them
Fishing for high-frequency words (one person reads the word aloud, other students find the word in a stack of other high-frequency words)
Cycle 5:
Phonemes Introduced in This Cycle
/o/, /b/, /j/, /w/, /ks/ as “x,” /p/, and /g/
High-Frequency Words
"from,” “wants,” “says,” “see,” “he,” “had”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students work with the short vowel "o" using the consonants "b," "j," "w," "x," "p," and "g" and accumulated consonants from prior cycles to decode and encode a large quantity of words with two, three, and even four (as students are ready) phonemes. Short "a," "i," and "u" are reviewed in decodables and as extensions in lessons. The introduction of "o" and "w" in this cycle allow for the decoding of "ow" to /ow/ (as in "how"). Lastly, students learn about the common orthographic chunk "-ng" ("-ang," "-ing," "-ung," "-ong"), which also serves as another opportunity to review /a/, /i/, and /u/. Initial blends with b ("bl-," "br-") and w ("sw-," "tw-") and the final blend "-ft" are available for lesson extensions.
Cycle 6
Phonemes Introduced in This Cycle
“e,” /e/
High-Frequency Words
“for,” “get,” “gone,” “no,” “to,” “am”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students work with the short vowel "e", which can often be the most difficult for students to distinguish from the other vowels. Students are given ample practice decoding and encoding words with three and four phonemes. Lesson extensions provide the ability to use initial and final consonant blends as in the words "flesh" and "best." Direct instruction of "-ank," "-ink," "-unk," and "-onk" builds from the "-ng" work in prior cycles while also allowing for the review of /a/, /i/, /u/, and /o/.
Cycle 7
Phonemes Introduced in This Cycle
“y” as long /ī/
High-Frequency Words
“will,” “my,” “go,” “not,” “saw,” “of”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students continue to practice encoding and decoding single-syllable short "e" words with three and four phonemes, allowing ample time for this potentially challenging vowel sound. Initial and final clusters for use in short "e" words are offered as extensions (ex: "chest," "blend"). High-frequency, one syllable words ending with "y" as long "i" are introduced. The suffix "-ing" as a doing suffix ("thinking," "flying," "crying," "jumping," "going," etc.) is offered as an extension.
Cycle 8
Phonemes Introduced in This Cycle
“wh,” “ck”
High-Frequency Words
“who,” “when,” “where,” “why,” “what,” “gives”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students are introduced to the phonemes /w/ and /k/ as represented by the graphemes "wh-," and "-ck." This cycle also starts a significant push towards automaticity with decoding and encoding single-syllable words with four (and more) phonemes. In effect, student decoding of single-syllable short vowel words shifts to words with consonant blends. Students are introduced to the suffix "-ed" (pronounced /t/) to denote past tense (ex: "ducked," "fixed," "kicked," "locked," "jumped," etc.).
Cycle 9
Phonemes Introduced in This Cycle
“ll” as /l/, “ss” as /s/, “ff” as /f/, “zz” as /z/, “-ed” suffix as /d/ and /t/
High-Frequency Words
“all,” “could,” “said,” “then”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students are introduced to the phonemes /l/, /s/, /f/, and /z/ as represented by the graphemes "-ll," "-ss," "-ff," and "-zz." Students should understand that the short vowel needs an extra letter when these sounds are at the end of a single-syllable word. Direct instruction of consonant blends with "s" as an orthographic unit occurs ("sm," "st," "sp," and "sk"). In addition, "-ed" as /d/ is introduced and included in the Decodable text and offered as an extension in lessons.
Cycle 10
Phonemes Introduced In This Cycle
“bl,” “cl,” “fl,” “gl,” “pl,” “sl,” “sp,” “spl”
High-Frequency Words
“by,” “there”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students are explicitly introduced to initial consonant blends with "l" and "r," moving from doubles (eg. "sl") to triples (eg. "spl" and "spr").
Cycle 11
Phonemes Introduced In This Cycle
“bl,” “cl,” “fl,” “gl,” “pl,” “sl,” “sp,” “spl”
High-Frequency Words
“by,” “there”
Cycle Word List
In this cycle, students continue to work with consonant blends. Direct instruction of the final blends "-lt," "-ft", "-st," "-nt," "-nd," "-nk," and "-ng" to produce words such as "ended," "melted," "lifted," etc. allows for the introduction of the "-ed" suffix, pronounced /id/. Students are also introduced to an alternate spelling of the /ow/ sound: "ou."
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