Can you recommend strategies to get tricky words to stick?

Great question! We’ve seen lots of good ideas being shared by members on our social media channels, here are some of our favourites:

• Spot the tricky word game (just like the grapheme spotter game but for tricky words) – introduce the tricky word, shuffle time and then get children to put their hands on their heads when they spot it.

• Precision teaching – this works best for individual interventions. Find a precision teaching grid on the Support for teachers tab in the Resources section.
• Tricky word doorbell/password – stick a word on the door for children to press and say as they come and go.
• Tricky word bracelets – you could also try stickers on children’s sleeves or tricky word lanyards!

And don’t forget! We have specially-written handouts to support families at home with tricky words, whether their child is in Reception or Year 1, or is following the SEND or Rapid Catch-up programmes. Find them in the public For parents area of the website.