We will be using the Heart/Flash word method of teaching high-frequency words this year! Words with "heart parts" have parts that can't be decoded. Either the letters "break rules" or the kids haven't been taught that rule yet. For example, in the word "said" the -s- and -d- say their typical sounds, but the -ai- says the short /e/ sound. We would map that word with a heart over the letters -ai-. Flash words, like can or at, can be decoded. Science has shown us that using orthographic mapping or mapping the sounds in each word, helps them move words from working to long-term memory faster.