The High Frequency Word Project
Free Session for Literacy Leaders
If this caught your attention then do look below to watch our free 30-minute zoom session for Literacy Leaders - coaches, curriculum coordinators, and principals. We explain The hfw Project and how you can implement it in your school or district. Of course even if you are an unofficial literacy leader the same principles will apply.
The complete hfw Project and the much-asked-for Word List Compendium are available for purchase
The Guidebook gets you started and the 5 Study Booklets give you the materials you need to immediately teach 100 high frequency words (no prep needed). The Word List Compendium is the final puzzle piece in the The hfw Project. You've been asking for this since the first Study Booklet was published and have patiently waited until the last Study Booklet was completed. Our full set of words is organized into a range of groups so you can easily locate the ones you want to study with your students. If you want the words with long vowel phonemes, or all the <wh> words, or the set of pronouns we study, you can find a list that links them and lets you know which booklets they are in. No more searching!
Study cards - included in the Study Booklets
Purchase the pfd then print and bind your own books
Free downloadable sample pages!
Welcome to The hfw Project!
High frequency words are just that: words occurring with high frequency in all genres of writing. It makes sense, then, for students to be able to read and write these words with both accuracy and automaticity.
According to the Oxford English Corpus (OEC), the 100 most-commonly-occurring English words make up approximately half of the words we use. Imagine the power of helping beginning readers to develop automatic recognition of one in every two words they read! If a child can also automatically spell this bank of words, they can direct their focus more heavily on the content vocabulary and syntax needed to express their ideas in their writing.
The spelling of many high frequency words is typically misunderstood and mistaught. Teachers are aware of how important it is for students to be able to easily read and write these words, as they are found in almost every sentence. But since their spelling doesn’t generally fit the patterns we expect, the method most often used is rote practice and memorization, usually by using flashcards. While the spelling of many of these words is not straightforward, it can always be explained. In the explanation lies the growing understanding of English orthography.
The hfw Project consists of a guidebook containing background information about high frequency words and English orthography, along with a teaching plan for implementation. It explains the spelling of each word so the guiding adult can develop a comprehensive picture of how the letters function - why these words are spelled the way they are. To do this, the history of the word, the relationship to other words, and spelling conventions must be considered.
Additionally, there are student study booklets that provide a place for children to engage in repeated practice reading and writing each word while consolidating their understanding.
Click here to take a look inside...
Purchase options
Purchase as an individual (teacher/tutor/parent)
OR
Purchase an institutional license to use the project across multiple classes. If you are buying for 5 or more classrooms and want the product licensed to the school, not individual teachers, then this is the choice for you. It's discounted for a group purchase!
We are offering the convenience of this .pdf format so that you may print copies of the study booklet sheets as many times as needed to serve your students. That's right - as an individual you have permission to use these resources for all of the students you teach. If you are purchasing an institutional license your school or organization has permission to use the resources with the number of classes you purchase it for.
We are providing two different sizes so that people all over the world can access this work. Be sure to choose between the A4 (most of the world) and the US Letter (USA and Canada) options depending on your location.
*Note: our purchasing platform is a bit finicky about security. For most people your purchased products will download directly. For some you will need to find the email you receive with a download link, click it and it returns you to the same place but will then download. So please check your email if you have trouble with the initial confirmation screen.
Please note, we will never sell or share your information with any 3rd Party.HFW Celebrations
I bought the HFW Project yesterday and literally felt my heart jumping for joy! The two of your magnificent brains have created an ultimate resource. This is exactly what I needed…how did you know? You are amazing! The kids and I thank you both dearly!!!
-Mara Hockenhull
This resource is more elaborate and worthy than I even imagined.
-Mary Beth Steven
I have read through the guide and study booklet which arrived very promptly after ordering online (I am in the UK). I am impressed by the clearly explained detail included in the guide about English orthography – I love the idea of including tales about words. I look forward to seeing how to use the materials in the workshop.
-Jenny Moody
✨GOLD--PURE GOLD✨ This word inquiry resource is a MUST HAVE for all teachers who work with high frequency words. Answering all the 'But how do I...' questions that teachers might have, this provides depth & understanding to an area most teachers don't know what to do with.
-Charlie Kraig
The hfw Project Authors
