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Jiffy Words

MORE WALLS: About Jiffy Words

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.'
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Many Jiffy Words do not follow simple phonics patterns.

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.

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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 recognize these ‘rule-breakers’ instantly, on sight.

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How do children learn to recognize these words on sight?

The consonant sounds in Jiffy Words, help students to recognize them.

Plenty of accurate practice helps students to recognize them.

Repetition is the key.

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?

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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Before You Drill:

Connect the Jiffy Words to the child’s language system
because m
any 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 recognize 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.

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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?
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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

The Jiffy Words

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
came
can
come
could
course
day
did
do
does
done
don't
down
each
eight
enough
even
every
far
fast
few
first
for
found
full
get
great
go
goes
good
got
had
has
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


Short Cut Through the Treehouse ~ The Whole Treehouse

More on this topic:
Practice Jiffy Words