Ck words

How do you teach ck words?

Teach ck with the spelling question it answers: c, k or ck? "Ck comes right after a short vowel, at the end of a syllable." Have the student touch the vowel and the letter after it. If they're neighbors and the vowel is short, it's ck. Sort words into three columns: cat and cup, kid and kit, duck and sock. Then dictate words and have the student say which column before writing.

What mistake do students make with ck words?

Students write k (duk) or c (duc) at the end. Ask, "Is the vowel short? Is the /k/ right next to it?" If both are yes, ck. The opposite slip, using ck after a consonant (bankck), comes from overusing the rule; point out that ck never follows a consonant.

Where do ck words come in the sequence?

Ck is often the first digraph taught, right after the FLSZ rule, because it spells a sound students already know. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 44.

Exceptions worth knowing

Long vowels and vowel teams take k, not ck (bake, peek, soak). After a consonant, k is used (milk, bank). A few multi-syllable words end in c (picnic, music, magic) rather than ck.

Decodable sentences

Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 44 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.

• The duck is on the dock.
• Pack the sock in the bag.
• Jack can kick the back of the truck.