At Home Practice

Each week we will send home a weekly practice packet. Please note that this is completely optional, does not need to be returned, and is for extra practice at home. Please note: Only those who complete the homework survey will receive one each week.

• Digital Copies:  If you would prefer a digital copy each week to print at home, please let your child's teacher know.

What is "Nonsense Word Fluency"?

These words look a little silly! You might wonder, “Why are we teaching my child words that aren't even real?”

These made-up words are part of a quick reading check called Nonsense Word Fluency, and it is one of the best tools we have to see exactly how your child's reading skills are growing.

1. It tests "real" reading, not memorizing

By second grade, children have memorized a lot of words by sight (like cat, the, or house). If we only test them using real words, we can't tell if they are actually reading the letters or just guessing based on a word they've seen before.

When we give them a made-up word like "sig," they can't guess. They are forced to look at the letters, remember the sounds they make, and blend them together. It shows us if they truly know the rules of phonics.

2. It prepares them for bigger words

Think of nonsense words as the "hidden puzzle pieces" inside giant words. Your child might not ever need to read these types of words on its own, but knowing how to read it automatically will help them read bigger words later.

3. It builds reading speed

We measure how many of these sounds and words they can read in one minute. The goal isn't to rush them, but to see if decoding has become "automatic" for them. When a child can sound out words effortlessly, their brain doesn't have to work so hard on the mechanics of reading. That leaves their mind free to focus on what matters most: understanding and enjoying the story.