Spelling words using soft c
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can spell words using soft c.
Key learning points
- Soft c and hard c refer to two different sounds that the letter c can represent in English spelling.
- If the vowel letters ‘a’, ‘o’ or ‘u’ or a consonant letter follows the letter c it is pronounced as a hard c.
- If the vowel letters ‘e’, ‘i’ or ‘y’ follow the letter c it is pronounced as a soft c.
- How to spell the curriculum words: decide, notice and centre.
Keywords
Soft c - sounds like 's' in words like 'city', 'cereal' or 'mercy'
Hard c - sounds like 'k' in words like 'cat', 'cup', 'coat or 'climb'
Vowel letters - the letters ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, ‘u’ (and sometimes ‘y’) that represent vowel sounds
Consonant letters - all the letters in the alphabet that represent consonant sounds
Common misconception
Children may think that a word can only contain a hard c or a soft c.
Look at some words that contain a soft c and a hard c, such as bicycle or access. Use sound buttoning to help identify the phoneme grapheme correspondences.
Teacher tip
Adapt the soft c words focused on within the practice section of the lesson to those that you may apply in current writing lessons or across the curriculum.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these words contain the 's' sound?
Q2.Which of these words contain the 'k' sound?
Q3.Which words contain a hard c?
Q4.Match the word to the sound the letter c is making.
Q5.Select the correct spelling of the word.
Q6.Select the correct spelling of the word.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which words contain a soft c?
Q2.Match the word to the spelling which represents the 's' sound.
Q3.Select the correct spelling of the word.
Q4.Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. I like to ride my bysiclel.
Q5.Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. There are 100 years in a sentree.
Q6.Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. Place the ball in the sentir of the hoop.
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Spelling words using soft c, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Spelling words using soft c, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the Etymology and prefixes unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.