Teaching & Learning Page
Ms Charleston & Mr Chapman (Learning Specialists) Gill & Kellie
Surfside Primary School
Literacy - Spelling Spotlight
Each fortnight we’ll be sharing a simple spelling rule or strategy to help families better understand how we teach spelling at Surfside. These tips will support your child’s learning and give you ideas for how to reinforce spelling at home in a fun and meaningful way. Keep an eye out for our Spelling Spotlight in each newsletter!
Boat is Slow Spelling Rule
When the “Magic e” spelling rule does not apply for the long /ō/ sound (vote, zone), there are other spelling choices.
The Rule:
Use <oa> at the beginning or in the middle of a word.
Use <ow> at the end of a word.
This rule helps to choose the correct spelling of the /ō/ sound based on where it is in a word.
Examples
Sound | Position in Word | Spelling | Example Word |
long /ō/ | start or middle | oa | boat, coach, float, road |
long /ō/ | end | ow | snow, grow, window, yellow |
How you can help at home:
When your child is spelling, prompt them to think:
- “Is the /ō/ sound at the start or middle of the word?” Try oa
- “Is the /ō/ sound at the end of the word?” Try ow
- You can also play a quick sorting game by saying words aloud and asking your child to sort them into OA words and OW words. This helps reinforce the pattern in a fun, memorable way.