If you’ve worked with early or struggling readers, you know how important it is to build a strong foundation in sight recognition and decoding. But what happens when a word just doesn’t follow the rules? That’s where heart words come in, high-frequency words that are either irregular or contain elements that need to be learned “by heart.”

Heart word instruction is a crucial part of any evidence-based literacy curriculum, especially for children who are just beginning to read or those with dyslexia or other learning differences. But to be effective, it’s not enough to teach heart words here and there. The real magic happens when you create a consistent, purposeful routine around heart word instruction.

Let’s explore how you can make heart word teaching part of your daily or weekly literacy block, while keeping things engaging, structured, and science-backed. And if you’re ready to enhance your toolkit, check out our Heart Word Cards at PDX Reading Specialist, they’re designed for exactly this kind of intentional instruction.

What Are Heart Words?

Heart words are high-frequency words that students must memorize by heart because parts of them can’t be easily decoded using phonics rules. While many parts of the word may be decodable, one or two sounds may be irregular or unexpected.

Key Attributes of Heart Words:

  • Often appear frequently in beginner texts (e.g., “said,” “come,” “does”)
  • Contain irregular spellings or tricky phoneme-grapheme correspondences
  • Require a mix of phonics and memorization
  • Must be learned deeply to support reading fluency and comprehension

Relation to phonics: Unlike decodable words that follow predictable patterns, heart words need to be taught more explicitly and practiced more frequently to become automatic.

Why a Routine Matters

Without a structured approach, heart word instruction can become inconsistent, and students may struggle to internalize these critical words. A routine:

  • Ensures daily or weekly exposure
  • Builds long-term retention through repetition
  • Supports multi-sensory learning, which is especially important for students with learning differences
  • Makes instruction more efficient and effective for both teachers and students

Creating a Routine Around Heart Word Instruction

Step-by-Step: Building a Heart Word Routine

Here’s a practical routine you can implement in your classroom or intervention sessions. Feel free to adjust the pacing to fit your group’s needs.

1. Choose 2–3 Heart Words Per Week

Start small. Focus on 2 to 3 new heart words each week to allow time for deep learning and review. Prioritize words that appear frequently in early texts or those your students encounter often.

Use tools like the PDX Reading Specialist Heart Word Cards to make selection and instruction seamless. Each card breaks down the decodable and non-decodable parts to guide your teaching.

2. Introduce with Explicit Instruction

Use the I Do–We Do–You Do method:

  • I Do: Model the word. Say it, spell it, and explain which part must be remembered “by heart.” For example, in the word “said,” the “ai” is the irregular part.
  • We Do: Have students echo the word, spell it out loud, and highlight the tricky part.
  • You Do: Let students write or build the word with letter tiles while identifying the irregular elements.

Tip: Use color-coding or symbols to mark the irregular parts (e.g., a heart icon or red letters).

3. Reinforce with Multi-Sensory Practice

Heart word instruction works best when it’s multi-sensory. This means engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile pathways.

Try These Activities:

  • Air writing or sand writing
  • Building with magnetic letters
  • Finger tapping or clapping out sounds
  • Highlighting parts in different colors

PDX Reading Specialist Heart Word Cards are color-coded to support this approach, making it easier for students to visually segment the word.

4. Spaced Repetition and Daily Review

Revisit previously learned heart words daily. The goal is automaticity, not just memorization.

Create a quick review ritual:

  • Flashcard drills
  • Rapid recognition games
  • Peer quizzes or word hunts in texts
  • “Guess the word” based on clues

You can store cards in a “known” and “learning” pile. Gradually move words over once mastery is demonstrated.

5. Apply Words in Context

Isolated practice isn’t enough. Students need to see and use heart words in authentic contexts.

Incorporate words into:

  • Sentence building activities
  • Simple dictation exercises
  • Short passages with embedded heart words
  • Writing prompts (“Use the word ‘does’ in a sentence”)

This strengthens semantic and orthographic connections, making the word meaningful and retrievable during reading and writing tasks.

6. Assess Mastery and Adjust

Once students are regularly using a heart word correctly and fluently, you can consider it mastered. But keep it in rotation occasionally to avoid regression.

Use informal assessments:

  • Oral spelling checks
  • Timed recognition drills
  • Dictated sentences
  • Word reading within passages

Noticing consistent errors? Slow down. Some words may need more repetition or an alternative teaching strategy.

Tips for Sustaining Your Routine

Tips for Sustaining Your Routine

  • Stick to a Schedule: Even 10 minutes a day makes a big difference. Embed heart word practice into your literacy block or morning meeting.
  • Be Flexible: If a student is struggling, revisit the word using a new approach.
  • Use Tools That Work: Don’t reinvent the wheel. Tools like our Heart Word Cards simplify planning and instruction, making your routine consistent and effective.
  • Celebrate Successes: Let kids feel proud when they master tricky words. Consider using sticker charts or moving cards to a “mastered” wall.

How PDX Reading Specialist Can Help

At PDX Reading Specialist, we know how overwhelming it can be to build an evidence-based curriculum from scratch. That’s why we created our Heart Word Cards, designed by literacy specialists with real classroom experience.

Each card includes:

  • High-frequency words selected from research-based lists
  • Color-coded markings to distinguish decodable from non-decodable parts
  • Built-in prompts to guide explicit instruction
  • Durable design for long-term classroom or at-home use

Whether you’re a teacher, interventionist, or parent, our tools help make heart word instruction systematic, consistent, and effective.

Conclusion: Turn a Tricky Skill into a Powerful Habit

Heart words are essential building blocks in a young reader’s journey, but only if taught with intention. Creating a thoughtful routine around heart word instruction helps students internalize tricky words, improve fluency, and grow confidence in both reading and writing.

By using consistent strategies, incorporating multi-sensory methods, and reviewing regularly, you turn memorization into mastery.

Ready to level up your routine?

Shop Heart Word Cards from PDX Reading Specialist and give your students the tools they need to thrive.

Your routine starts today, and we’re here to help every step of the way.