T – Tricky Words
Some words don’t follow typical spelling patterns. They may come from other languages, use rare letter combinations, have pronunciation (accent) differences, or be too complex for the student’s current conceptual framework.
These are called Tricky Words, and they need specific, intentional strategies to help them stick.
Example strategy: “Is it a tricky word? What’s my strategy to remember it?”
Download Your Free Tricky Word Template!
What makes a word tricky?
- It can’t be decoded accurately using current phonics knowledge
- It doesn’t follow regular rules or includes unusual spelling choices
- It includes a schwa or irregular vowel sound that makes spelling by segmentation unreliable
- It’s needed now to help the student progress (e.g. high-frequency or topic-specific)
Tricky word strategies are not the first resort. In fact, they’re the last resort—a bridging strategy used only when a student is stuck, but needs access to that word for fluency, comprehension, or confidence.
In many programs, tricky or “heart” words are introduced too early, and rote memorisation becomes the main strategy. In S.M.A.R.T., we believe this leads to:
- Over-reliance on rote memorisation
- Loss of interest and motivation
- Disconnection from meaning and structure
- Short-term gains at the expense of long-term impact
- A fragile foundation for spelling development
Instead, we treat tricky word strategies as a stepping stone toward orthographic mapping—a temporary support to allow repeated, accurate practice until the word becomes automatic.
Why tricky word strategies work (The memory science)
Remembering tricky or irregular words often begins as a memory task — but it shouldn’t stay that way.
When a word can’t be fully decoded using phonics or rules, we support students with explicit memory strategies. These are designed to hold the word in memory just long enough for practice, repetition, and pattern recognition to lead to orthographic mapping.
But what makes memories actually stick?
We don’t remember everything we see or hear — our brains prioritise information that’s meaningful, emotional, connected to existing knowledge, or surprising. The more “hooks” a word has, the more likely it is to be remembered. This is especially important for students with inconsistent recall or slower retrieval speeds.
To support memory effectively, we focus on:
- Attention – we remember what we pay attention to
- Emotion – memories tied to
- motivation,
- personal meaning,
- reward,
- curiosity
- And intense feelings stick better!
- Association – connecting new information to what we already know
- Narrative – stories are easier to remember than disconnected facts
- Novelty – the stranger or more vivid a memory, the longer it lasts
- Visual-spatial systems – we have a massive capacity to recall locations and images
For many students, especially those living with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or anxiety, memory can be inconsistent. They may remember a word (or how to spell it) one day and forget it the next. Naming speed and working memory are often affected, which can make spelling feel unpredictable.
By teaching explicit memory strategies, we give students a way to hold on to tricky words — not permanently, but long enough for orthographic mapping to do its job. The goal is not to memorise words forever, but to repeat them successfully until they become automatic.
Types of tricky word strategies
Here are some of the most effective and developmentally appropriate categories:
1. Mnemonics (Memory sentences)
These work by tying meaning to the sequence of letters.
Examples:
- because = big elephants can always understand small elephants
- does = dad only eats sausages
- said = Sam and I dance
Encourage students to make their own versions—the more personal, the better.
2. Spelling Talk
Break the word into parts you can say out loud.
Examples:
- Wednesday → Wed-nes-day
- library → lib-ra-ry not libry
- signature sig nature
3. Word Stories (Narratives)
Build a simple silly or simple story that connects the spelling to something they already know.
- animal → “Animals have ‘i‘s (eyes)” → a-n-i-m-a-l
- permanent → (Lord of The Rings fan) For every man there is an Ent (a tree person) per–man-ent
- oar → We use oars on a river
4. Find-the-Word-Within
Spot familiar or smaller words hiding inside longer words. This taps into visual recognition, morpheme awareness, and helps students break a long word into manageable chunks.
Examples:
- together → to + get + her
“We want to get her to join us.”
- friend → fri + end
“Fri-day was the end of our friendship.”
- everyone → every + one
“Every single one of us is included—everyone.”
Students can also create their own versions.
The goal is to make the word feel less scary and more familiar by breaking it into chunks they already know.
5. Visual Anchors
Use novel images, colour, shape, size, or movement to mark the tricky part.
Example:
- Draw a heart around the part that breaks the rule (the “heart” of the word strategy)
- Highlight the i in animal
- Use colour coding to flag irregular vowels
- Draw a picture or use AI to make a memorable image – the more bizarre, the more likely they will remember it. Like this one for the kle/cle regular final syllable exceptions:
This taps into visual-spatial memory, which can be surprisingly strong in many students with learning difficulties.
6. Memory Palaces (Advanced or teacher-led)
Some students benefit from mapping tricky words into imaginary spaces—a technique used by memory champions.
“Place their on the bookshelf because they own it.”
“Put there on the door—it shows you where to go.”
This kind of mapping becomes especially helpful for older students who struggle to retain irregular words.
Tricky Word resources in the S.M.A.R.T. framework
S.M.A.R.T. Spelling Sheet – Memory Strategy Practice
Purpose:
To help students retain difficult or irregular words by combining deliberate memory strategies with spaced retrieval practice. This sheet supports encoding (how a word is learned) and retrieval (bringing it back later).
How to Use:
- Write the tricky word and a memory strategy in the top section.
- Follow the 5-step S.M.A.R.T. routine:
- Say your strategy
- Read and spell the word aloud
- Cover the word, then say and spell it from memory
- Write it down
- Check it letter by letter
- Do this across at least two practices — spaced 1–2 days apart.
The Thinking Behind It:
The key idea here is that remembering a tricky word requires more than repetition — it needs strategy, attention, and spaced retrieval. Practicing after a delay strengthens memory. The S.M.A.R.T. routine encourages deliberate processing and self-monitoring, critical for building independent spelling habits.
S.M.A.R.T. Spelling – Tricky Word Practice Tracker
Purpose:
To monitor and reinforce a student’s mastery of specific tricky words across multiple sessions, progressively increasing the challenge.
Preparation:
- Select 1–3 tricky words to track. These may come from recent lessons, writing samples, or observed errors.
- Write the selected words in the left-hand “Word” column.
How to Use:
- At the start of each lesson, dictate each word.
- If spelled correctly from memory, tick the next available numbered box (1 through 10).
- Once the student has 10 successful spellings, have them write the word in a Free Writing or High-Frequency (HF) challenge — in a sentence or story context.
- After three Free/HF uses, add the word to regular Dictation 1, 2, and 3 for full retrieval under pressure.
The Thinking Behind It:
This approach uses spaced retrieval to build strong word memory. As confidence grows, the context becomes more complex — from single-word recall to sentence writing to embedded dictation. This graduated load mirrors how real spelling skills develop and ensures lots of meaningful repetition. The process is flexible — teachers can slow it down or speed it up depending on the student’s needs.
What to remember
- Tricky word strategies are a bridge, not a destination
- Use them when needed—but don’t rely on them first
- The goal is repetition with accuracy → leading to orthographic mapping
- Make them personal, memorable, and connected to meaning
- Track which tricky words each student needs and revisit them regularly
Final Thought
If a student can’t remember how to spell a word, it’s not because they’re lazy or careless. They just need another route to the memory.
That’s what T is for in S.M.A.R.T.—a strategy to get there when nothing else works.
Details about teaching each S.M.A.R.T. Spelling element
S.M.A.R.T. Overview
An overview of the how and why of the S.M.A.R.T. Spelling system.
Segmenting
Sound it out and break it into syllables. Leave a blank for the sound you don’t know.
Morphemes
Can you find the base? Does it have a prefix or a suffix that you know?
A.E.I.O.U.ə
What vowel can you hear? Short? Long? Other?
Rules
Is there a spelling rule I need to apply?
Tricky
Is it a tricky word? What’s my strategy for remembering it?
Contact Us
For more details on the Literacy Support Kit or how it can complement other literacy programs, please contact us with your questions.