The document provides strategies for sounding out or decoding tricky words when reading: it recommends re-reading the word, thinking about what looks and sounds right, using word parts like blends or suffixes, breaking the word into syllables, finding smaller words inside, making connections to known words, skipping and returning to the word, and sounding out the whole word as a last resort. The overall message is that the reader should draw on multiple strategies when encountering an unfamiliar word.

1. I know what to do at a
tricky word.

2. I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

3. RE-READ…
• AND THEN THINK ABOUT WHAT SOUNDS RIGHT AND LOOKS RIGHT
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

4. USE THE PICTURE… I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

5. THINK ABOUT WHAT LOOKS RIGHT… I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

6. THINK ABOUT WHAT SOUNDS RIGHT…
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

7. USE A BLEND TO START ME OFF…
fl-ip
fr-om
st-amp
th-at
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

8. CHECK THE FIRST THREE LETTERS…
• AND THEN THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD SOUND RIGHT AND LOOK RIGHT
Baby Bear went to
the r-i-v….
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

9. BREAK THE WORD UP…
fan-tas-tic
hol-i-day
horr-i-ble
com-pu-ter
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

10. FIND A LITTLE WORD INSIDE…
• AND THEN THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD SOUND RIGHT AND LOOK RIGHT
The prince was
very handsome.
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

11. MAKE A CONNECTION…
• USE A WORD YOU KNOW TO HELP YOU WITH A WORD YOU DON’T KNOW
If you know look,
then you know took,
shook, book, cook.
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

12. SKIP THE WORD AND READ ON…
• AND THEN COME BACK TO THINK WHAT SOUNDS RIGHT AND LOOKS RIGHT
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

13. CHECK THE MIDDLE OF THE WORD…
come
came
run
ran
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

14. CHECK THE END OF THE WORD…
look
looks
looked
looking
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

15. LOOK THROUGH THE WHOLE WORD…
• ALSO KNOWN AS ‘SOUNDING OUT’ – BUT DON’T DO IT ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE IT DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK!
c-a-t
o-n
f-u-n
g-o-t
I know whatto do at a
tricky word.

16. I know whatto do at a
tricky word.