Welcome to W.O.R.D.

W.O.R.D. supercharges vocabulary and comprehension for students in Grades K-5. Through fun and research-based gameplay, your students will master the 2,500 morphological word families that make up 90% of all text.

Regular exercise helps people get in better shape.

In fact, an idea took shape in the jackal’s mind right away.

A triangle is a shape. A circle and a square are shapes, too.

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Why W.O.R.D.

All students deserve a solid foundation in reading, which is why W.O.R.D. maximizes instructional time with a laser focus on the words that matter most in literacy and life.

A small spaceship seen in the W.O.R.D. game cutely bobs up and down. Click or press enter to stop/start the animation.

Did you know?

2,500 morphological word families

make up 90% of all text.

Deep Word Knowledge

Understanding one word and its use in many contexts creates opportunities for students to learn new concepts and words with greater ease. Discover how one word can lead to a whole network of meaning.

Think in context The word 'think' pulses on the screen. A web expands from the word 'think' to show how one word is connected to many contexts, concepts and other words, such as thinking, think tank, think big, think again and think it over. Think in context The word 'think' is in the centre of the screen. A web expands from the word 'think' to show how one word is connected to many contexts, concepts and other words, such as thinking, think tank, think big, think again and think it over.
Think The word 'think' connects to the other contexts and words listed below to show how one word can lead to a whole network of meaning.
Idioms - examples are: think big, think it over, think it through, think again
Derivational Prefixes and Suffixes - examples are: rethink, unthinkable, thoughtful, thoughtless
to be unsure of - examples are: believe, guess, reckon, suspects
To Develop and Consider Ideas - examples are: conceive, consider, imagine, brainstorm
to think deeply - examples are: study, analyze, evaluate, reflect
common phrases - examples are: think fast, mull over, wishful thinking, think green
inflected endings - examples are: thinks, thinking
compound words - examples are: think tank, freethinker, freethinking

Hi there!

Swipe through the words connected to 'Think', above, to see how one word can open up reading doors!Click on the word, 'Think,' to see how one word can open up reading doors!

With over a dozen learning objectives, W.O.R.D. teaches the full extent of a word's meaning and usage as your students grow and progress from Grades K-5.
Learning Objectives

W.O.R.D. fits into your existing balanced literacy program with flexible 20-minute sessions, perfect for students to play independently as part of a literacy center.
How It Fits

Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert analyzed over 10,000 texts to uncover the 2,500 high-utility word families that gives students the tools they need for literacy and for life.
The Research

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Funding Opportunities and Grants

W.O.R.D. is eligible for a number of funding opportunities and grants. See below to discover which options may apply.

Title I, Part A provides financial assistance to schools with high numbers of children from low-income families.

Title III, Early Language Acquisition is designed to ensure that children with limited English proficiency obtain the same academic standards in English as all children.

Reading First supports the use of scientifically-based research as the foundation for reading instruction.

Want to know more?

See the full list of funding opportunities available to support your investment in W.O.R.D.

See the Chart
Headshot of Dr. Elfreida "Freddy" Hiebert

The Research

Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert analyzed over 10,000 texts to uncover the 2,500 high-utility word families that make up 90% of all words found in texts. Her data shows that if students are able to learn and comprehend these 2,500 word families, they will have the tools they need for literacy and for life. Learn more about Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert's research.