As teachers, we know that teaching phonics is a fundamental part of helping young learners develop their reading and writing skills. But did you know that teaching syllable types makes a huge difference when it comes to pronunciation and comprehension? In this post, let’s dive into six different types of syllables and how to teach them to elementary students. Read until the end to get these FREE syllables anchor charts!
Open Syllable Type
The open syllable type is a single-syllable word that ends with a long vowel sound. Some examples are “go”, “hi”, “me”, or “so”. To help students identify an open syllable type word, have them look for words with long vowels at the end of them (e.g., “me-ow”).
Closed Syllable Type
The closed syllable type is also a single-syllable word but it ends with a short vowel sound instead of a long one. Examples include “cat”, “bed”, or “stop”. To help students identify these types of words, have them look for words with short vowels at the end (e.g., “cap-ping”).
Vowel Consonant e Syllable Type
The vowel consonant e syllable type is one that contains both a vowel and consonant before the letter e at the end of the word. Examples include “make”, “cake”, or “hike”. This can be tricky for students as they may not recognize the silent e at the end right away. Have your class work on sounding out these types of words together until they get it right!
R-Controlled Syllables Type
The R-controlled syllables type consists of three letters – a vowel followed by an r and then another vowel – making up one syllable (e.g., “farm”, “bird”, “born”). The key here is that when two vowels appear together in one syllable but are separated by an r—the first vowel changes its sound to make an entirely new sound altogether! To help your students understand this concept better, have them practice saying these words out loud until they get it right!
Consonant + le Syllable Type
Consonant + le syllables are made up of three letters – a consonant followed by an l then an e – all making up one syllable (e.g., “table”, “apple”, or “puzzle”). The key here is that when two letters appear together in one syllable but are separated by an l—the second letter changes its sound to make an entirely new sound altogether! Have your class practice saying these types of words out loud until they understand how it works!
CVVC Syllables
These syllable words can also be called Vowel Team syllables. Many times students may be able to read single-syllable words with a vowel team like in “mail”. However, when it includes two-syllable words it becomes more difficult like in “mailman”.
Now that we’ve gone over the 6 syllable types and how to teach them effectively in the elementary classroom – you should feel confident introducing them to your students and helping them master each type individually! With some patience and practice – your students will soon learn how to read more complex texts confidently and accurately – thanks to their new knowledge about syllables! Remember – breaking those big words down into smaller bits helps tremendously when trying to pronounce unknown terms correctly! These posters also align with The Science of Reading and Using a Sound Wall in the classroom. Good luck teaching – we know you can do it!
Click HERE or on the picture to get these FREE Syllable Types Posters!
