How to Teach Tricky Words in Orton-Gillingham

If your child can read words like map or sun but gets stuck on words like said, was, or come, you are not imagining it. These words can feel confusing because part of the word may follow the rules your child knows, while another part does not.

That is where tricky word practice comes in. In Orton-Gillingham, these words are taught directly, not guessed from pictures or memorized in big lists. The goal is to help your child look closely at the parts that are regular and notice the part that is unusual.

This post will show you how to teach tricky words in Orton-Gillingham at home so practice feels clear and manageable.

What is a tricky word in Orton-Gillingham?

A tricky word is a high-frequency word that is not fully decodable based on the phonics patterns your child has learned so far. That does not mean the whole word is random. Usually, one part is readable and one part is unexpected.

For example:

• was: the w is regular, but the vowel sound is the tricky part
• said: s and d are regular, but ai does not say what your child may expect
• come: parts of the word look familiar, but the pronunciation does not match every sound in a simple way

This matters because struggling readers often need help seeing that a tricky word is not just something to memorize all at once. They can anchor to the parts they know and learn the tricky part on purpose.

Should my child memorize tricky words?

Not in the usual sense.

In Orton-Gillingham, the better approach is to teach the word explicitly. That means you walk through it with your child instead of asking them to guess it or repeat it over and over without a plan.

A simple routine looks like this:

1. Say the word out loud.
2. Show the word in print.
3. Find the part your child already knows.
4. Point out the tricky part.
5. Have your child read and spell the word.
6. Review it again later in a short practice round.

This keeps the word tied to sound, print, and meaning. That is much more helpful than flashcard drilling alone.

How do you teach a tricky word step by step?

Keep it short and direct. One to three words at a time is enough for many children.

Here is a simple way to do it:

1. Pick one word

Start with a word your child sees often in reading, such as said, the, was, or come.

2. Read it together

Say, “This word is said.” Then have your child repeat it.

3. Look for the regular parts

Ask, “What part of this word do you know?” Your child might notice the s or the d.

4. Mark the tricky part

Circle or underline the unexpected part. You might say, “In this word, ai is the tricky part because it does not say what you may expect here.”

5. Read the whole word again

Have your child read the word aloud a few times while looking at it.

6. Spell it from memory

Cover the word and ask your child to spell it. If needed, uncover it and try again.

7. Review in a later lesson

Bring the word back the next day and a few days after that. Short review helps more than one long session.

What if my child keeps forgetting tricky words?

That usually does not mean you are doing it wrong. It often means your child needs more review, fewer new words at once, or a clearer explanation of what makes the word tricky.

Try these adjustments:

• Teach fewer words in one sitting
• Keep review daily for a week or two
• Use the same wording each time you explain the tricky part
• Have your child read the word, say the tricky part, and spell it

For example, instead of saying, “Just remember it,” you might say, “This is said. The s and d are easy parts. The ai is the tricky part.” That kind of language gives your child something concrete to hold onto.

A real-life example

A fourth grader might read decodable passages fairly well but stop every time she sees said. Her parent assumes she just has not practiced enough, so they add more flashcards. But the word still does not stick.

Once they shift the routine, things change. Instead of drilling the whole word, they look at it together, identify s and d as known parts, and mark ai as the tricky part. They review that same word for a few minutes a day across the week.

By the end of the week, the child is still not perfect, but she is faster and less frustrated. She starts to recognize that some words have one unexpected part instead of feeling like the whole word is impossible.

Simple tips that make tricky word practice easier

Here are a few ways to keep practice useful at home:

• Use a card for each word and mark the tricky part clearly
• Limit new words so your child does not feel flooded
• Mix old and new words during review
• Practice reading and spelling both, not just one

If your child is tired, stop early. Five calm minutes is better than twenty stressful ones.

How do tricky words fit with phonics lessons?

Tricky words should support phonics, not replace it. Most of your child’s reading practice should still focus on decodable words and patterns they are learning in order.

Tricky words are the side pieces that help reading feel more functional. They give your child access to common words that show up all the time, even before every part of those words fully makes sense based on the phonics skills they know.

You might also find this helpful: What Order Should I Teach Orton-Gillingham Sounds at Home?

Conclusion

If your child keeps getting stuck on common words, the answer is not to push harder or hand them a bigger list. A better approach is to teach tricky words in Orton-Gillingham one at a time, show what is regular, and explain what is not.

That small shift can make reading feel much less confusing.

If you want extra support at home, ReadGenie gives children structured reading practice built on Orton-Gillingham principles, decodable text, and repetition. You can explore it here: App Store and Google Play.