Teaching double letters
Aim: Double f, l, s and z, and use ck, at the end of short words with a short vowel.
How to explain it
At the end of a short word, straight after a short vowel, f, l, s and z are usually doubled (off, bell, kiss, buzz) and the /k/ sound is spelled ck (back, duck). A handful of words break the rule and need learning: if, of, us, bus, yes. Inside longer words a double consonant often follows a short vowel too (rabbit, little).
Starter (5 minutes)
Say 'bell' and 'bee'. Which vowel is short? Show the double l and link it to the short vowel before it.
Main activity
Double or not? Give word endings (be_, hi_, dre_, du_) and children decide whether to add a double letter or ck. Then hunt through a reading book for more examples and add them to a class list.
Dictation sentences
- The duck fell off the hill.
- Miss Smith rang the bell.
- My little rabbit likes carrots.
Watch out for
- Single letters after a short vowel (bel, of for off, dres).
- Writing k or c instead of ck (duk, bac).
- Doubling in the exceptions (buss, yess).
Quick check
Ask children to spell these without help:
- stuff
- spell
- grass
- neck
Example words
- off
- cliff
- bell
- hill
- kiss
- dress
- buzz
- back
- duck
- sock
- rabbit
- little
- better
- carrot