FLOSS Rule Spelling (ff, ll, ss, zz)
Eight one-syllable short-vowel words ending in a doubled f, l, s or z, spelled letter by letter.
Session summary (SOAP)
Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.
Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.
How to run it
Say the word, have the student say it back and tap the sounds, then ask the question the rule turns on: is the vowel short, and does the word end in f, l, s or z? If both are yes, the last letter doubles. Let them build the word, then read it aloud. Do the ll words together first, since they are the most common, then mix in the rest.
Cueing ladder
Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.
- IndependentShow the card and wait 3 seconds for the student to read it.Log as correct
- Point to itPoint to the letter pattern that matters, or tap under each sound.Log as cued
- Sound it outSay the first sound together, then let the student blend the rest.Log as cued
- ModelRead it, tapping each sound; the student reads it after you.Log as cued
Adjust it
Use fewer cards and start with the patterns the student already reads, such as 'puff' and 'cliff'.
Read the words in a sentence, or spell them from dictation.
Matching IEP goal
Given decodable word cards, such as 'puff' and 'cliff', Student will read the target pattern accurately in 8 of 10 words across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than a visual cue.
Send it home through the parent portal →About this activity
Eight one-syllable words that follow the FLOSS rule: after a short vowel, a final f, l, s or z is doubled. Puff and cliff end in ff, bell, hill and doll in ll, kiss and dress in ss, buzz in zz. Each word is built letter by letter, so a student who writes bel or kis finds out on the spot, with the word still in front of them.
What to listen for
Notice whether the doubling is applied by rule or by memory. A student who spells bell correctly but writes buz for buzz may know familiar words rather than the pattern. Watch for overuse too, such as doubling after a long vowel. The two-consonant starts in cliff and dress add a separate challenge, so check whether errors land at the start or at the end.
Carrying it home
Hunt for FLOSS words in a book or on signs: shell, grass, stuff, fuzz. Each time one turns up, ask the child why the last letter is doubled. Then dictate two or three words from the board at bedtime and let them check against the list. Short, frequent practice keeps the rule fresh.
What's in this activity
- puff
- cliff
- bell
- hill
- doll
- kiss
- dress
- buzz
Questions
- Who is this for?
- First through third grade students learning short-vowel spelling patterns, and older students with spelling difficulties working through a structured literacy sequence.
- Is it free?
- Yes. It plays free in the browser with no login. An account adds session data, goal scoring and assignment to a student.
- What about words like bus and gas?
- They are exceptions to the rule and are worth teaching separately once the pattern is secure. This board uses only words that follow it.