Some pupils find long, unfamiliar subject terms hard to read accurately, because breaking a word into its sounds and syllables takes them more effort.

A few minutes of preparation can make the essential terms readable before pupils meet them in the lesson, without becoming a separate literacy intervention.

Choose only essential terms

Select three to five words from the upcoming topic or text. Prioritise terms pupils need in order to follow the explanation, question or source.

Make the structure visible

For each word:

1. say it and give a brief subject definition;

2. mark syllable boundaries;

3. identify a useful root, prefix or suffix where relevant;

4. model accurate blending and stress;

5. ask each pupil to read it independently;

6. locate the term in the class text or task.

For example, photosynthesis can be divided into pronounceable parts and linked to the root photo, meaning light. In history, democracy splits into de-moc-ra-cy and links to demo (people) and -cracy (rule).

This takes a few minutes, for example at the start of the lesson while the class completes a starter. You could also give the words out a lesson ahead.

Keep the work age-respectful

Use current curriculum vocabulary, not simplified word lists. Ask pupils to explain and use the term in the subject context after they can read it.

Keep the words available during the lesson and reduce prompts once recognition becomes secure.

Distinguish preparation from intervention

This is brief focused support for current subject access. Continued difficulty decoding unfamiliar or multisyllabic words across subjects should prompt a closer reading assessment and additional literacy provision.

Further guidance

EEF: Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools covers disciplinary literacy and vocabulary across subjects.