Using Tech to Teach Emerging Readers High Frequency Words
Kandra James, Senior National Director of Literacy Content and Implementation at Curriculum Associates, discusses the importance and methods of teaching high-frequencywords to emerging readers. High-frequency words, commonly used in spoken and writtenlanguage, are crucial for students' reading success. These differ from sight words, which arerecognized by sight without decoding. James emphasizes the importance of understanding thedistinction between these two terms.
The educational community utilizes three lists of high-frequency words: the Dolch, Zeno, andFry lists, with no one list being superior. Teaching strategies for high-frequency wordsgenerally fall into memorization and phonics integration. Memorization involves creatingdistraction-free learning opportunities, apparent repetition, sentence contextualization, andphysical writing of the words. Phonics integration involves incorporating high-frequencywords into phonics lessons, even if some aspects of the word don't align with the currentphonetic focus.
Technology plays a significant role in teaching these words. Digital flashcard apps, interactive displays, and digital “sound walls” are practical tools for memorization. Games and activities, enhanced with technology, can also be used for both memorization andphonics integration strategies. These immersive and engaging methods ensure that studentsare actively involved in learning, leading to mastery of high-frequency words and thedeveloping of proficient reading skills.