Tier 2 Vocabulary

Tier 2 words are high-frequency words that children are likely to come across in many different subjects and texts. They are not as basic as everyday words (like dog or happy) and not as technical as subject-specific vocabulary (like photosynthesis). Instead, Tier 2 words (such as investigate, prefer or fortunate) help children develop richer language for speaking, reading and writing.

The FFT scheme we use at St John’s incorporates Tier 2 vocabulary, helping children develop the rich and versatile language they need for reading and writing across the curriculum. This supports children in building a strong foundation of words that they will encounter frequently in many different contexts.

At St Nic’s, we have specially selected 10 Tier 2 words for each English unit we teach, so that children can continue to build a strong and useful vocabulary.

Here are the lists of Tier 2 vocabulary for each year group:

VIPERS

What are Reading VIPERS?

At St Nic’s, we use Reading VIPERS to help children develop their understanding of what they read.

VIPERS is an acronym that stands for the six key skills of reading comprehension:

V – Vocabulary: understanding the meaning of words

I – Inference: reading between the lines to understand what is implied

P – Prediction: thinking about what might happen next

E – Explanation: explaining preferences, opinions and reasons

R – Retrieval: finding information directly from the text

S – Sequence or Summarise: ordering events or summarising main ideas.

How they help:

Children become confident in answering different types of questions.

Teachers can check which skills children find easier or harder.

Lessons can then be adapted to give targeted support.

How you can support at home

When reading with your child, you can use VIPERS to guide you when asking your child questions about what they are reading.

Vocabulary

Help your child explore word meanings.

What does this word mean?

Can you think of another word that means the same?

Which word tells us the character is feeling worried?

Inference

Encourage your child to think about what is implied.

Why do you think the character did that?

How do you know the animal is frightened?

What impression do you get of this setting?

Prediction

Talk about what might happen next.

What do you think will happen in the next chapter? Why?

Look at the title — what do you think the story will be about?

Explanation

Give children the chance to explain ideas.

Who is your favourite character? Why?

How does the author build tension here?

Why has the text been set out in this way?

Retrieval

Practise finding information in the text.

Where did the story take place?

What year did the astronauts land on the moon?

Who was the first character we met?

Sequence / Summarise

Encourage retelling or summarising.

What happened at the beginning, middle and end?

Can you put these events in the right order?

Can you summarise the story in a few sentences?