Year 2 - English
The 'oa' spellings, including 'oa', 'ow' and 'o-e'
Alternative GPCs for long vowels
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn new GPCs (grapheme phoneme correspondences) for long vowel sounds.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to read and spell words containing the three most common representations of the 'oa' phoneme: 'oa', 'ow' and 'o-e'.
Key Notes
- 'ow' is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that often comes at the end of a word.
- 'o-e' is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that is often found 'last but one'.
- 'oa' is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that is often found in the middle of a word.
- How to spell the common exception words: who and how.
Vocabulary To Learn
- split digraph: has a letter that comes between the two letters in a digraph like in "make" where the "k" separates the digraph "ae"
- phoneme: the smallest units of sound that make up words
- digraph: two letters that represent one sound
- common: a spelling pattern that is most often found in written language
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may read the 'ow' in words such as 'below' and 'snow' as an 'ou' sound, such as in 'growl'.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
'ow' is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that often comes at the end of a word. 'o-e' is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that is often found 'last but one'.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'split digraph'
has a letter that comes between the two letters in a digraph like in "make" where the "k" separates the digraph "ae".
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may read the 'ow' in words such as 'below' and 'snow' as an 'ou' sound, such as in 'growl'. Correction: Explain to pupils that when the 'ow' digraph appears at the end of the word, it is typically making an 'oa' sound.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Applying the new 'ay' spellings, including 'a', 'eigh' and 'ey' Study Guide
- Applying the new 'ee' spellings, including 'e', 'y', 'ie' and 'ey' Study Guide
- Applying the new 'er' spellings, including 'or' and 'ear' Study Guide
- Applying the new 'igh' spellings, including 'ie', 'y' and 'i' Study Guide
- Applying the new 'oa' spellings, including 'o' and 'oe' Study Guide
- Applying the new 'oo' spellings, including 'ue', 'ui' and 'ou' Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'ay', 'ai' and 'a-e' in familiar words Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'ee', 'ea' and 'e-e' in familiar words Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'er', 'ir' and 'ur' in familiar words Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'igh' and 'i-e' in familiar words Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'oa', 'ow' and 'o-e' in familiar words Study Guide
- Applying the spellings 'oo', 'ew' and 'u-e' in familiar words Study Guide
- New 'ay' spellings, including 'a', 'eigh' and 'ey' Study Guide
- New 'ee' spellings, including 'e', 'y', 'ie' and 'ey' Study Guide
- New 'er' spellings, including 'or' and 'ear' Study Guide
- New 'igh' spellings, including 'ie', 'y' and 'i' Study Guide
- New 'oa' spellings, including 'o' and 'oe' Study Guide
- New 'oo' spellings, including 'ue', 'ui' and 'ou' Study Guide
- The 'ay' spellings, including 'ay', 'ai' and 'a-e' Study Guide
- The 'ee' spellings, including 'ee', 'ea' and 'e-e' Study Guide
- The 'er' spellings, including 'er', 'ir' and 'ur' Study Guide
- The 'igh' spellings, including 'igh' and 'i-e' Study Guide
- The 'oo' spellings, including 'oo', 'ew' and 'u-e' Study Guide
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