In the Fundations reading program, second-grade students encounter a specific set of words that are not easily decodable using basic phonetic rules. These high-frequency words, often referred to as red words within the program’s materials, require memorization due to their irregular spellings. Examples include “said,” “because,” and “there.” Mastery of this vocabulary is essential for building a strong foundation in reading.
Rapid and accurate recognition of these challenging words allows young learners to focus on comprehension rather than decoding. This contributes to fluency and overall reading proficiency. By automating the recognition of these common words, students can allocate more cognitive resources to understanding the meaning of the text. The Fundations program emphasizes these words early in literacy development to support reading and writing skills effectively.