What to Know When Teaching Phonics and Spelling: The 6 Syllable Types
Have you ever tried a teaching method or used materials that weren't very effective with your students?
Have you ever decided to go in a different direction with a student and seen positive change?
Do you want your students to overcome obstacles, make progress, and have success?
If you’re anything like I am, then your answers are “yes, yes, and of course I do!”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Let's Go in the Right Direction
Making Progress: The 6 Syllable Types
Overcoming Obstacles Leads to Success
For years, I tried many different programs and methods for teaching spelling and phonics. But they lacked consistency and teaching sequences that made sense. So, I developed a program based on a multi-sensory Orton-Gillingham approach which means teaching the connection between phonemes and graphemes.
It means teaching the six syllable types.
It means having visual, auditory, and kinesthetic components as students are working with words.
And, it means teaching and helping your students learn to decode (read) and encode (spell) effectively and with confidence!
Let's Go in the Right Direction
Whether this is new information or more detailed information on what you already know, you can feel confident that bringing knowledge of the 6 syllable types and the patterns within those syllable types to your students is going in the right direction!
It will help them to become familiar with syllable-spelling conventions.
It will also help them internalize learned patterns and apply them to their writing!
Making Progress: The 6 Syllable Types
The 6 syllable types are organized by what is happening with the vowel/s.
A CLOSED Syllable (vc) has only 1 vowel (v); has 1 or more consonants (c) after the vowel; and the vowel sound is short.
Examples: ŏn, săt, slĕdAn OPEN Syllable (v) has only 1 vowel (v); ends in that vowel; and the vowel sound is long (says its name).
Examples: mē, ā-cornA VOWEL-CONSONANT-E Syllable (vce) has a vowel, a consonant, and an 'e'; the vowel sound is long; and the 'e' at the end is silent.
Examples: hōpe, pan-cākeA VOWEL TEAM Syllable (vv) has a vowel that "teams" with another letter to make one sound.
Examples: play, tree, growAn R-CONTROLLED Syllable (vr) looks like a closed syllable, but the 'r' changes the sound of the vowel, so it is not short or long.
Examples: star, fern, cornA CONSONANT-LE Syllable (-cle) has a consonant, followed by 'le'; is always the final syllable; and has a silent 'e' at the end.
Examples: puz-zle, ta-ble
Overcoming Obstacles Leads to Success!
I know from personal experience and working with hundreds of students, that teaching phonics and spelling with emphasis on the different syllable types will help your students break the code.
They will understand why words are read and spelled the way they are.
They will learn that exceptions to the rules and generalizations do exist, but many, many words follow the learned patterns.
They will be able to decode and encode bigger, more complex words.
They will become effective readers and spellers.
They will have success!
Ready to implement a spelling program in your classroom that focuses on the 6 syllable types?
Working with Words Comprehensive Spelling Program is available in three levels and includes student workbooks and supplemental materials with enough lessons to span a school year.