Let’s sink our teeth into some FLOSS words. (Floss? Teeth? Get it?!) Now, you might be scratching your head and thinking, "FLOSS? Like dental floss?" Nope, not quite! FLOSS words are a special rule that helps our students improve their reading and writing.
What are FLOSS Words?
First things first, let's decode the mystery behind FLOSS words. FLOSS is actually a term that we use for words or syllables that have a short vowel and end with the letters “F”, “L”, “S” or “Z”. Think words like "dress," "fill," "pass," and "off."
Please keep in mind that there are a few exceptions to the FLOSS Rule such as shorter functional words like “of” and “as” and of course, words that are abbreviated don’t follow the FLOSS Rule (such as words like “bus” - short for omnibus, and “gas” short for gasoline).
Why is the FLOSS Rule Important?
I’m a huge believer in never teaching something without the why. If you and your students don’t know why you’re talking about something—why bother talking about it? So WHY talk about FLOSS words? Well, it all boils down to building strong foundational skills in reading. And in that foundation, FLOSS words are like building blocks. Once kids master this phonics pattern, they can apply it to a whole bunch of other words. It's like a superpower that helps them tackle new words with confidence!
How Do We Teach Words with the FLOSS Pattern?
Now, onto the fun part: teaching FLOSS words like a boss! (I couldn’t help myself, I had to sneak that FLOSS word in there.) The good news is, it's easier than you might think. I highly suggest teaching this skill after your students have been explicitly taught short vowels and have moved past decoding CVC words on their own. I am a strong advocate of using an explicit, evidence-based, foundational literacy curriculum (that is systematic and diagnostic) to introduce the FLOSS rule, where it lies within your scope and sequence. The book, “The Very Helpful FLOSS Rule” is a great supplement for after you’ve introduced the skill to your students. Then, while reteaching and reviewing short vowels, you can add in the concept of consonant doubling, like the FLOSS Rule (and some people call it “bonus letters”). Get creative with hands-on activities like word sorts, word hunts, and more!