How To Set Up A Heart Words Center

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Creating an effective learning environment for struggling readers, especially those with dyslexia, can be challenging. One powerful strategy to support these learners is setting up a heart words center.

This specialized area focuses on teaching high-frequency words that don’t follow regular phonetic patterns. These words are often referred to as heart words because students need to learn them by heart, but they’re really irregular high frequency words.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how to set up a heart words center that fosters reading fluency and confidence.

Understanding Heart Words

Before diving into the setup process, it’s essential to understand what heart words are and why they matter. Heart words are common sight words that do not conform to typical phonetic rules, also called irregular high frequency words. Examples include said, come, and does. Because these words appear frequently in texts, recognizing them instantly can significantly boost reading fluency.

Only about 13% of words are truly irregular, so using the heart word method is a great way to teach them while still promoting orthographic mapping of the words. You can learn more about the heart word method and how to teach and introduce heart words here.

Why a Heart Words Center?

A dedicated heart words center provides a structured environment where students can focus on mastering these critical words. It offers repetitive practice through multisensory activities, making it easier for struggling readers to internalize these tricky words.

Steps to Set Up Your Heart Words Center

1. Gather Essential Materials

To create an effective heart words center, you’ll need various materials:

• Word Cards: Create flashcards with each heart word written clearly. I also have these ready-made heart word cards with the words already mapped out. You can print them out and put them on a ring or display them on a computer as slides.

• Whiteboard and Markers: For writing and practicing words. A laminated paper also works.

• Worksheets and Independent Activities: A worksheet to practice spelling and using the word (can be laminated or placed in a sheet protector if you can’t make copies) is ideal to have for each word. Additional independent activities to follow up should be included. You can create activities using the other materials in the center: writing on white boards, partner writing/spelling, word building with magnetic letters, word tracing and textured writing, etc.
• Include Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping – Word mapping activities are key to improving spelling and reading and this can still be used with irregular words. Make sure at least one of the main activities includes some type of phoneme grapheme mapping, as pictured below.

• Magnetic Letters: Useful for building and manipulating words.
• Multisensory Tools: Items like sand trays, playdough, magnetic or plastic letters, or textured letters for tactile learning. I like to do the shaving cream in a Ziploc bag.
• Reading Materials: Books and passages containing the target irregular high-frequency words.

The activities you include should not be new or need to be taught every week. Use activities your students are familiar with and all you have to do is swap out the words each week. This helps ensure students stay on task and focus on the phonics skills instead of learning a new routine.

2. Choose the Right Location

Selecting an appropriate location for your heart words center is important. Ideally, it should be a an area of the classroom or home where students can concentrate without distractions and be close to a sound wall (or have access to a mini sound wall). You want to consider the materials and space your students will need to complete the activities.

3. Organize the Space

Arrange your materials in an organized manner to make the center inviting and easy to use. Use labeled bins or shelves to store word cards, magnetic letters, and other tools. Display a list of current heart words prominently so students know which ones to focus on.

4. Implement Multisensory Activities

Incorporate multisensory strategies into your heart words center to engage different learning styles:

• Visual: Use color coding to highlight the irregular parts of the word that don’t follow phonetic rules. Students can draw a heart around or highlight the irregular parts of the words.

• Auditory: Have students say the word out loud while spelling it. You could record yourself saying the words with a device like this and leave it at the center for students to check their reading.
• Tactile: Let students trace the word in sand, form it using playdough, or finger write it on a Ziploc bag filled with shaving cream.
• Kinesthetic: Encourage movement-based activities like air writing, lifting a finger for each letter as they spell the word aloud, or writing the words on a partner’s back.

5. Create Routine Practice Sessions

Consistency is key when implementing centers. Schedule practice sessions at the heart words center during the first few weeks of implementing the center. Students should be familiar with the activities and materials to be able to work on their own.

I like to do the activities I plan to include in the center as a whole class lesson a few times before adding it to the center. Then practice at the center with students for a week or two before leaving them in control of their learning at the center.

6. Monitor Progress

Track each student’s progress with a simple chart or checklist. Note which words they have mastered and which ones need more practice.

I would create a checklist of the words you’re covering for the year to track student progress. Include the taught words in your regular assessments so you can track your students’ progress.

7. Adapt Based on Student Needs

Be flexible and ready to adapt your approach based on individual student needs. Some may require more tactile activities, while others might benefit from additional auditory practice. It’s really easy to modify activities to make them more multisensory if needed.

Practical Tips for Success

Here are some practical tips to ensure your heart words center is effective:

Keep It Simple

Constantly changing things may sound like it will keep students engaged, but in reality, it takes away from instructional time because you have to teach new routines and processed.

As I said before, choose a few activities you want to use and keep them the same. Just swap out the words every week. Maybe halfway through the year you can change up one or two of the activities.

Students will be most successful if they spend most of their time practicing the words and not learning how to do a new activity every couple of weeks.

Use Technology Wisely

There are numerous apps designed to help children practice sight words through interactive games and activities. Integrate technology into your heart words center for a modern twist on traditional methods.

Really Great Reading has some great tools on their website that students can access to practice heart words. You can also display the words as slides instead of flash cards.

Collaborate with Parents

If you’re a teacher, involve parents by sending home lists of current heart words along with suggested activities they can do with their child. Consistent practice at home reinforces what is learned at school.

My favorite activity to send home with kids are heart words flip books (pictured above). These really help the parents follow along with the right method instead of focusing on memorizing the words.

Foster a Growth Mindset

Encourage students by emphasizing effort over perfection. Remind them that everyone learns at their own pace and celebrate small victories along the way.

Bottom Line

Setting up a heart words center is an invaluable step towards helping struggling readers become fluent and confident in their abilities. By creating a dedicated space filled with effective materials and incorporating multisensory activities, you provide students with the tools they need to succeed.

Remember, patience and consistency are key components. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel and keep things simple by using effective activities and just swapping the words.

Whether you’re a teacher working in a classroom setting or a homeschooling parent seeking effective ways to support your child, establishing a heart words center can make all the difference in your students’ fluency with irregular high frequency words.

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