Out of the thousands of words in English, fewer than 250 appear over and over again.
These are known as ‘high frequency’ words , or ‘sight words.’
Good readers learn to name these words on sight--'in a jiffy.'
Many Jiffy Words do not follow simple phonics patterns.
How do children learn to recognise these words on sight?
Which Jiffy Words should children learn first?
How can we practice the Jiffy Words?
A quick way to introduce a new Jiffy Word.
Before you drill: Connect the Jiffy Word to the language system.
The Jiffy Word list
See my handy list of Jiffy Words, 200 of the most common words in reading, below.
Just about anything you will read in English is loaded with these common Jiffy Words.
Unfortunately for beginners, many Jiffy Words do not follow simple phonics patterns.
Listen to the sounds in the middle of these words:
home, Rome, dome . . . some
moth, broth, cloth . . . both
nut, cut, hut . . . put
So all readers should learn to recognise them instantly, on sight.
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How do children learn to recognise these words on sight?
The consonant sounds in Jiffy Words, help students to recognise them.
Children learn the Jiffy Words by plenty of accurate practice.
The goal with Jiffy Words, as with Phonics sounds, is Rapid-Accurate Naming.
Accurate practice makes perfect--and then the 'rapid' part will come.
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Which Jiffy Words should children learn first?
Just look at what your child is reading. Pick out a Jiffy Word from that text.
Read that bit of text aloud with your student, to make sure they understand how the word 'fits in,' before you practice the isolated word. (More on this, below.)
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How can we practice the Jiffy Words? Here are some options:
- Play drill games with Jiffy Word flashcards. Start with a small set, and keep the practice accurate.
- Use the Search & Say exercises here at The Reading Treehouse. (Find the link under MORE WALLS; also MATERIALS.)
- Have your student read, re-read, and re-re-read, familiar text. (It will be loaded with Jiffy Words.) Once your student can read a selection smoothly, seven times is not too many times to re-read it.
Here is a quick way to introduce a new Jiffy Word:
1. Write the word neatly, in bold marker, on an index card.
Say, “This is [word]. Take a good look at [word].”
2. Point out any familiar parts of the word, such as a familiar first sound.
3. Mix the card with one or more other word cards.
Say “Find [word].” Mix again. Say “Now find [word].’
Add more word cards to the mix if you like. Say "Can you find [word] now?"
4. Ask, “Can you find [word] in your story?" (or "Can you find [word] on this line?" or "Can you find [word] in this section?")
EXAMPLE
[Teacher writes ‘some’ on an index card.]
“Look, Sally, this is ‘some.’ Remember in your story--'some cats'? Some.
Hey, it starts with s-s-s . . . see that?
And it has m-m-m right here [points] . . . som-m-me.”
[Teacher mixes ‘some’ with other cards: ‘little’ and ‘school.’]
“Find ‘some.’ [Student picks it out.]
[Teacher lets her know she is right] “Too smart.”
[Mixes cards again.] “Now find ‘some.’
[Student picks it out.] “How did you know! ?”
[Teacher turns to student’s text.]
“Can you find ‘some’ in this part?” [indicates a section of text]
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Before You Drill:
Connect the Jiffy Words to the child’s language system.
Many of the Jiffy Words are hard to picture.
Words like ‘by,’ ‘an,’ ‘would,’ or ‘of’-- might not have much meaning to a child, outside of a sentence.
Even adults might have a hard time defining them.
But children can readily recognise these meanings in context:
“Drive by the park,” “An apple,”
“What would you like?” “A piece of cake.”
So, choose drill words from the child’s Natural Language Stories, or another text they are working with.
That way, the child will connect with the word’s meaning.
Here is a way to point out the language connection.
1. First, read the context together--the sentence or phrase containing the drill word.
“I would jump really high.”
2. Then introduce the new drill word, written neatly in bold marker on a flashcard.
“Here’s ‘would.’ ‘I would jump.’ “
3. After the drill game or Search & Say exercise, look back at the text. Read the context again.
Can the student spot the word you just drilled? Cool.
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The Jiffy Words
Remember:
• Choose one from your student’s current story.
• Give fun practice in naming it accurately.
• Add to your student's Jiffy Word 'collection' at the pace of the student's success.
PDF version of Jiffy Word list to open with Acrobat Reader
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a
about
after
again
against
all
also
always
am
an
and
another
any
are
around
as
ask
at
ate
away
back
be
being
because
been
before
best
better
between
big
both
but
buy
by
came
can
come
could
course
day
did
do
does
done
donít
down
each
eight
enough
even
every |
far
fast
few
first
for
found
full
get
great
go
goes
good
got
had
has
have
he
her
here
high
him
his
how
I
if
in
into
is
it
it’s / its
just
kind
know
last
laugh
life
light
like
little
live
long
look
made
make
man
many
may
me
men
might
more |
most
Mr.
Mrs.
much
must
my
never
new
night
no
not
nothing
now
of
off
old
on
one
only
or
other
our
out
over
own
people
play
put
read
right
said
same
saw
say
school
see
she
should
since
small
so
some
still
stop
such
take
thank
than
that
the
their |
them
then
there
they
thing
think
this
those
though
thought
three
through
time
to
today
told
too
try
two
under
up
upon
us
very
walk
want
was
we
well
were
what
when
where
which
while
who
will
with
work
would
write
year
years
yes
you
your
|
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