Non-Phonetic Words: Definition, Words, & Multisensory Activity

Posted by Brainspring on 4th Jun 2024

Navigating the English language is not easy! Being able to automatically tackle the many irregularities and non-phonetic words can require lots of practice and repetition. This week, we will cover the importance of using multisensory instruction to help students master these tricky non-phonetic words embedded in our language.

What Does Non-Phonetic Mean?

Non-phonetic refers to a system of writing or language where the pronunciation of words cannot be reliably predicted based solely on their spelling. Conversely, the spelling of words does not consistently reflect their pronunciation. The relationship between sounds and symbols is not straightforward or consistent in non-phonetic languages or writing systems.

In contrast, phonetic languages or writing systems correspond more directly between sounds and symbols. In phonetic languages, the spelling of words generally reflects their pronunciation, and vice versa, making it easier to predict how a word is pronounced based on its written form and how it is written based on its spoken form.

What Languages are Non-Phonetic?

Languages like English, which have many irregularities and inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation, can be considered partially non-phonetic. However, truly non-phonetic languages, such as Mandarin Chinese or Japanese, have writing systems where characters represent meanings rather than sounds, adding complexity to their pronunciation and spelling. A few of the most spoken non-phonetic languages are Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic.

A Language Made of Many Languages

English, as we know, is comprised of many languages. Danish, Norse, French, Latin, Italian, Greek, just to name a few. The words italicized in the sentence below are all words coming from what language?

The articulation of this delightful language is excellent!

Take a guess...

wikipedia.org

...French!

It is understandable why one would stumble reading and/or spelling words in the English language. Words such as "been, because, does, government, special, said, ocean, from," etc. simply do not follow the rules. Why, for example, don't we pronounce the ' n' in "government"? Why does the 'o' in "from" sound like the 'u' in "umbrella"? It's enough to make us crazy.

The Importance of Analyzing Words

About 85% of the English language is phonetic. Phonetic words follow the rules, for the most part, and can be sounded out for reading and spelling. The remaining 15% of English, however, does not follow a rule. How then, do we teach the remaining 15%?

The short answer is ... orthographic mapping. We can set up our students for success in memorizing these irregular words by using multisensory techniques. Irregular, non-phonetic words can be termed "Red Words." Just as we stop at a red light or a stop sign, now we also must stop when we come across a Red Word (aka non-phonetic word).

When we come across a word that does not follow the rules, it’s important to discover with the students the parts of the word that ARE phonetic, then identify the one part of the word that is NOT phonetic. This orthographic mapping of the sounds in a word is a way for students to analyze words and see that most words in English are MOSTLY phonetic!

Multisensory Activities for Non-Phonetic Words

To help students learn Red Words, try incorporating the following activities to help students "lock in" the words and become automatic in recognizing them:

Talk about your new Red Word - Use aloud in sentences. Get your students familiar with how it sounds. Example: from - I am from Michigan!
Show your students the Red Word - talk about what makes the word irregular. Example: from - the o sounds like a short u sound. Island - the s is silent.
Have students arm tap their new Red Words - Show them the new word they are learning and have students tap the letters on their arm starting at their shoulder. Tap with their dominant/writing hand, cross the midline, and tap each letter until the word is completely spelled and they arrive at their wrist. Say the entire word. Example: From - start at the shoulder and say "f" "r" "o" "m" - slide down the arm and say the whole word.
Try asking students to write their Red Words on index cards with a red crayon - They can also set their index card atop a sturdy, bumpy material and write the word with a red crayon. The wax from the crayon allows the letters formed to become texturized and will be bumpy to the touch. After the word is written, students can trace each letter with their finger while saying the letter name. They can then say the entire word. Students engage their sense of touch and strengthen muscle memory when tracing with their finger, thus providing a multisensory experience.
Hole punch each red word card and put on a ring - Students will now have a collection of their Red Words that they can use to review previously learned words. Students can work in partners to review and ask each other to orally spell or read the words. They can also try arm tapping when they have forgotten a word! This will help in the recall of Red Words.

Encouragement for Teachers & Parents

Learning non-phonetic words takes time and a lot of patience. Some students need dozens of exposures to a Red Word before they can read or spell it independently, and that’s okay. The key is consistency, variety, and encouragement.

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. By using a multisensory approach like the ones above, you’re helping students build stronger neural connections and boosting their confidence along the way.

Even though English spelling doesn’t always make sense, your teaching methods can. Keep using hands-on strategies, repeat often, and celebrate each little win. With the right tools and support, every child can become a successful reader and writer no matter how tricky the words may be.