Syllabication
Syllabication
A syllable is a word or word part that contains one “talking” vowel (a vowel sound). When we reach an unfamiliar multisyllabic word, it helps to chunk out the word by its syllables.
Open and closed syllables make up almost 75 percent of syllables in English words (Stanback 1992).
To read words in text fluently and accurately, the brain's orthographic processor must learn to "see" common letter patterns and recurring word parts (Moats 2005). In multisyllabic words, these multiletter patterns, or "chunks" may be syllables, affixes, or phonograms (EHRI 2002).
SYLLABLE TYPES
If students learn how to break apart words based on their division pattern and explicitly learn the rules of each syllable type, they will have success in reading a large chunk of the words in this very unfamiliar English language.
Syllable types found in English:
INSTRUCTIONAL STEPS
When a student reaches an unfamiliar multi-syllabic word, have them try the following steps to break the word down. It is important to follow these steps in the order listed below:
A syllable is a word or word part that contains one “talking” vowel (a vowel sound). When we reach an unfamiliar multisyllabic word, it helps to chunk out the word by its syllables.
Open and closed syllables make up almost 75 percent of syllables in English words (Stanback 1992).
To read words in text fluently and accurately, the brain's orthographic processor must learn to "see" common letter patterns and recurring word parts (Moats 2005). In multisyllabic words, these multiletter patterns, or "chunks" may be syllables, affixes, or phonograms (EHRI 2002).
SYLLABLE TYPES
If students learn how to break apart words based on their division pattern and explicitly learn the rules of each syllable type, they will have success in reading a large chunk of the words in this very unfamiliar English language.
Syllable types found in English:
- Closed: Consonant after a short vowel
- Open: No consonant after a short vowel
- Magic -E: Silent-E at the end of a word
- Consonant-le: Final syllable = Consonant + LE
- Vowel Teams: Vowel pair with one long sound
- Bossy-R: R-controlled
- Diphthong: Vowel pair makes a new sound that is neither long nor short
- Schwa: Vowel often makes a short u sound (as in alone, allow)
INSTRUCTIONAL STEPS
When a student reaches an unfamiliar multi-syllabic word, have them try the following steps to break the word down. It is important to follow these steps in the order listed below:
- Underline and label the first two vowels
- Draw a bridge to connect the vowels
- Label the consonants on the bridge
- Divide using the pattern
- Identify the syllable types *
- Read syllables
- Read word
Tips for Syllabication
- Practice is the best way for students to gain insight and confidence with syllabication.
- Make it fun and hands-on
Syllabication
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VC/V
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VCCV
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VCCCV
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Consonant -le
Soft C/G and Y as a Vowel |