Only twice in many years of doing this have I had a child forget their Key Word. Each time it was a kindergarten child — the day after they got their first Key Word.
Occasionally I’ve worked with children only 2.5 years old. They have also been able to create a collection of words they immediately recognize.
So if the child is interested enough in a word, even a very young child will remember it — and this creates confidence with print.
Taking One or Two Words Off the Ring
At the beginning of each session, the child reads through every word on their ring. So if they come upon word they don’t immediately recognize, take that word off the ring and blame the word — it’s not a good enough word. (Set it aside to toss later.)
Then try to be sure they’re talking about something they’re very interested in. And that they’re describing it enough to conjure up a vivid mind picture about it. Then write it for them.
Recall that a beginner won’t yet recognize that word elsewhere — only on their Word Card. For they’re not reading it, in the traditional sense. It’s more like remembering it from the entire experience of talking about and drawing a picture of it.
Further, if you’re in a classroom, where you have people helping you write Key Words,* some might not fully understand the purpose. Or they don’t know how to get a true Key Word. So, it’s possible a child could end up with several words they don’t immediately recognize. I haven’t had that happen, but if I did, following is what I would do.
Cleaning Out a Child’s Collection
Explain that some words on their ring are not good enough to stay there. Then lay all words out on the floor/table and ask the child if they can find any words they know.
Have them tell you what it is as they hand a word to you. (Asking them to give you a particular word you ask for is NOT a strong enough test.) Then put the words they immediately recognized back on their ring and set the others aside, to toss later.
Next, as you get them talking about the new word they want that day, recall that Key Words are captions for a child’s mind picture. And from that, try to be sure the word they’re asking for really conjures up a mind-picture of something important to them. Then give them plenty of time to describe their thinking about it.
Stress to your helpers that we’re not trying for the child to collect as many words as possible. We’re helping them collect words meaningful to them, so they become confident they can work with print.
Explain that leaving words on their Word Ring the child doesn’t recognize undermines that goal, and that learning to “sound out” words will come later.
If an aid or volunteer continues to leave unrecognized words on a child’s ring, I would find them something else to work on. For this can undermine the power of Key Words.
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*I “trained” my helpers by having them watch me work with the children at my table. And I gave a brief explanation of what I was doing and why.