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TEACHING ADVANCED PHONICS
WITH THE SEVEN SYLLABLE
TYPES
Cynthia Santosuosso
October 17, 2013
OBJECTIVES
Examine the seven syllables types
 Choose appropriate cutting patterns when
teaching syllabication
 Determine how learned skills will be applied in
the classroom setting

AGENDA
Background on syllables
 The seven syllable types and 5 cutting patterns
 Classroom application

BACKGROUND
SOUND/SYMBOL ORGANIZATION
20 Vowel Sounds
+24 Consonant Sounds
44 Total Speech Sounds

FACTS ABOUT PREDICTABILITY IN
SPELLING
50% of words are predictable by rule.
 36% of words are predictable by rule with one
error.
 10% of words will be predictable with word origin
and morphology taken into account.
 Fewer than 4% of words are true oddities.


From Hanna, Hanna, Hodges, and Rudorf (1966)
WHY TEACH SYLLABLES?
To “chunk” unfamiliar words accurately and
quickly: reincarnation; accomplishment
 To distinguish similar words:
scarred – scary
ripping – ripening
slimmer – slimy
 To remember spelling:
written, writing
grapple, maple
misspelled, accommodate

SPEECH AND WRITING ARE DIFFERENT


The syllable breaks that seem natural in speech
do not guide conventions for dividing written
syllables.
Syllable spelling patterns are cues to vowel
pronunciation (short, long, diphthong).
scared/scarred
biter/ bitter
K-1 PHONICS
Consonants
 Digraphs
 Short vowels
 Silent e
 Initial and final consonant blends
 R-controlled vowels
 Vowel teams
 Dipthongs
 Open/closed syllables
 Multi-syllable words

WHAT IS A SYLLABLE?
WHAT IS A SYLLABLE?
“A syllable is a word or a part of a word with one
talking vowel.”
 -Project Read

RULES ABOUT SYLLABLES



Every syllable has one vowel sound
The number of vowel sounds in a word equals the
number of syllables.
A one syllable word is never divided.

weak, feet, choice
HOW MANY SYLLABLES DO THESE WORDS
HAVE?
napkin
Atlantic
bandit
distinct
frantic
fantastic
HOW MANY SYLLABLES???
napkin (2)
Atlantic (3)
bandit (2)
distinct (2)
frantic (2)
fantastic (3)
THE SEVEN SYLLABLE TYPES
THE FIVE “CUTTING PATTERNS”
SYLLABLE TYPE: CLOSED
SYLLABLE TYPE: CLOSED



A closed syllable is a syllable that ends in a
consonant sound or sounds. It usually has a short
vowel sound.
Sample words with closed syllables:
staff ab / sent kit / ten it
Closed syllables account for almost half of the
syllable types in text! This skill is introduced
first, in grade 1.
We mark a the short vowel in a closed syllable
with a breve ˘
EXAMPLE:
cat
WHICH ARE CLOSED SYLLABLES?
USE A BREVE (˘) TO MARK THE CLOSED
SYLLABLES.
pem
raiz
at
ve
stips
mi
ep
utch
prau
WHICH ARE CLOSED SYLLABLES?
pem
raiz
at
ve
stips
mi
ep
utch
prau
CUTTING PATTERN: VCCV
VCCV

The vccv pattern is usually cut between the two
consonants.
1. Underline the talking vowels and mark them
with a (v).
2. Swoop between the vowels and pull down the
consonants between the vowels.
3. Cut the word according to the pattern.
4. Check the position of the vowel in each syllable
and mark the vowel.
5. Read the word a syllable at a time and blend the
syllables together.
EXAMPLE
combat
LET’S PRACTICE!
picnic
attic
fantastic
frantic
Atlantic
drastic
HOW DO WE SYLLABICATE VCCV?
pic/nic
at/tic
fan/tas/tic
fran/tic
At/lan/tic
dras/tic
SYLLABLE TYPE: OPEN
SYLLABLE TYPE: OPEN


An open syllable is a syllable that ends in a long
vowel sound spelled with a single vowel letter.
Sample words with open syllables
me

no
she
i / dol
ri / val
ti / tle
We mark a long vowel sound with a macron ¯
EXAMPLE:
she
WHICH ARE OPEN SYLLABLES?
USE A MACRON (¯) TO MARK THE OPEN
SYLLABLES.
ro
me
eam
pro
strupe
eng
du
si
hupe
OPEN SYLLABLES
ro
me
eam
pro
strupe
eng
du
si
hupe
CUTTING PATTERN: VCV
VCV

The vcv pattern is often divided after the first
vowel. It can also divide after the consonant.
1. Underline the talking vowels and mark them
with a (v).
2. Swoop between the vowels and pull down the
consonant between the vowels.
3. Cut the word according to the pattern, place a
dotted line after the first vowel.
4. Check the position of the vowel in each syllable
and mark the vowel.
5. Read the word a syllable at a time and blend the
syllables together, adjust if necessary.
VCV EXAMPLE
menu
LET’S PRACTICE
prevent
rapid
request
acrobat
robot
lavish
HOW DO WE SYLLABICATE VCV?
pre/vent
rap/id
re/quest
ac/ro/bat
ro/bot
lav/ish
SYLLABLE TYPE: SILENT E
SYLLABLE TYPE: SILENT E

A Vowel-Consonant-e syllable includes a vowel
immediately followed by one consonant and the
silent letter e.
Sample words with Vowel-Consonant-e syllables:
tune com / plete in / side note / book


Vowel-Consonant-e syllables generally have long
vowel sounds. To mark the silent e syllable,
mark the long vowel with a macron, ¯, and slash
the silent e, /.
EXAMPLE
swipe
WHICH ARE SILENT E SYLLABLES?
USE A MACRON (¯) TO MARK THE LONG VOWEL
AND SLASH (/) THE SILENT E.
Also known as the “magic e.”
zope
bame
cupe
stoove
pake
beace
throige
zine
SILENT E
zope
bame
throige
cupe
stoove
zine
pake
beace
SYLLABLE TYPE: RCONTROLLED
SYLLABLE TYPE: R-CONTROLLED

A vowel -r syllable includes vowels immediately
followed by the letter r in the same syllable.

ar, or, er, ir, ur
Sample words with vowel -r syllables:
car / pet mem / ber thir / sty im / port



The pronunciation of vowels within vowel -r
syllables can be difficult for students.
To mark the r-controlled syllable, use a tilde, ~.
EXAMPLE:
corn
WHICH ARE R CONTROLLED SYLLABLES?
USE A TILDE (~) TO MARK THE R-CONTROLLED
SYLLABLE.
nar
pert
mor
fire
Cairo
fer
ur
zor
sire
four
irk
R-CONTROLLED
nar
pert
mor
fire
Cairo
fer
ur
zor
sire
four
irk
SCHWA-AN ADDED BONUS
SCHWA

Schwa rules:
It makes a syllable weak.
 It makes the short u sound.
 It is marked with

Examples:
label
canyon
pedal
bacon
pilot
SYLLABLE TYPE: -CLE
SYLLABLE TYPE: -CLE
A consonant -le syllable ends with a consonant
immediately followed by -le.
Sample words with consonant -le syllables:
lit / tle puz / zle spar / kle mud / dle
 The pronunciation of consonant -le syllables
helps students improve pronunciation and
spelling.
 To syllabicate, count back three from the end and
mark.
 To mark –cle, insert the schwa symbol and slash
the silent e (/).

EXAMPLE:
apple
WHICH ARE –CLE SYLLABLES?
INSERT THE SCHWA ___ AND SLASH THE
SILENT E (/) TO MARK THE -CLE SYLLABLES.
stable
giggle
funnel
lettuce
wrinkle
brittle
-CLE
stable
giggle
funnel
lettuce
wrinkle
brittle
CUTTING PATTERNS: VCCCV,
VCCCCV
VCCCV AND VCCCCV


The VCCCV and VCCCCV is usually cut after the first
consonant.
If VCCCV or VCCCCV is in a compound word, divide
between the words.
1. Underline the talking vowels and mark them with a (v).
2. Swoop between the vowels and pull down the consonant
between the vowels.
3. Cut the word according to the pattern, mark after the first
consonant. Adjust if the word is compound and divide
between the words.
4. Check the position of the vowel in each syllable and mark
the vowel.
5. Read the word a syllable at a time and blend the syllables
together.
EXAMPLE
hundred
LET’S PRACTICE:
comprehend
landslide
construct
pilgrim
instrument
subtract
VCCCV/VCCCCV
com/pre/hend
in/fre/quent
con/tract
pil/grim
com/press
sub/tract
SYLLABLE TYPE: VOWEL TEAMS
SYLLABLE TYPE: VOWEL TEAMS
A vowel team has two vowels.
 In a vowel team, only one vowel speaks. Four of
the five vowels have vowel teams.
 The vowel u does not team.
 Each vowel has a certain number of teams.
 The pronunciation of vowels within vowel team
syllables is usually long.
 To mark a vowel team, underline the team, and
mark the talking long vowel with a macron.

Sample words with vowel team syllables:
boat
hay re / main fel / low

VOWEL TEAMS BY THE NUMBERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
i:
a:
o:
e:
-ie
ai
oa
ee
-ay
-ow
ea
-oe
ie
-ey
VOWEL TEAMS
play
VOWEL TEAMS
UNDERLINE THE VOWEL TEAMS AND MARK
WITH TALKING VOWEL WITH A MACRON.
eat
stow
dume
cho
oac
pray
WHICH ARE VOWEL TEAM SYLLABLES?
eat
stow
dume
cho
oac
pray
CUTTING PATTERN: VV
VV

Divide VV pattern between the two vowels.
1. Underline the talking vowels and mark them
with a (v).
2. Swoop between the vowels and pull down the
consonant between the vowels.
3. Cut the word according to the pattern, between
the vowels.
4. Check the position of the vowel in each syllable
and mark the vowel.
5. Read the word a syllable at a time and blend the
syllables together.
EXAMPLE:
neon
LET’S PRACTICE
memorize
mayor
crayon
rodeo
VV
mem/or/ize
may/or
cray/on
ro/de/o
SYLLABLE TYPE: VOWEL
DIPTHONG
SYLLABLE TYPE: VOWEL DIPHTHONGS
A dipthong has two vowels.
 There are five dipthong sounds.
 The vowel sounds are unique.
 The sign used to represent the dipthong vowel
sound is an oval (
)above the vowels.
 Sample words with vowel dipthongs:
laundry
shower
wool
coins

EXAMPLE:
boil
VOWEL DIPTHONGS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
oi, -oy
-aw, au
oo (boo), -ew, -ue, ui
ow, ou
oo (look)
VOWEL DIPTHONGS
UNDERLINE THE VOWEL DIPTHONGS AND MARK
THEM WITH AN OVAL.
cook
feet
turmoil
rowing
kangaroo
failing
VOWEL DIPTHONGS
cook
turmoil
kangaroo
feet
rowing
failing
CLASSROOM APPLICATION
HOW DO I USE THESE TECHNIQUES IN MY
CLASSROOM?
Integrate your knowledge of the seven syllable
types and five cutting patterns into your daily
phonics mini-lesson to explicitly teach decoding
and encoding rules.
 Apply syllabication rules to spelling words,
robust vocabulary words, and any vocabulary
words that are actively being used in the
classroom.
 Incorporate decodable text into partner reading,
so students have a chance to apply taught
syllabication skills.
 Include syllable work in a word study center.

PHONICS MINI-LESSONS
MINI LESSON (8-10 MINUTES)
1 minute review of previously taught sounds
 2 minutes to introduce/review weekly skill
 3 minutes to practice decoding of weekly skill
 3 minutes to practice encoding of weekly skill

MINI-LESSON DEMO
Grade 3
 Lesson 8
 Dipthongs: ou, ow, oi, oy

DIPTHONG RULES
A dipthong has two vowels.
 There are five dipthong sounds.
 The vowel sounds are unique.
 The sign used to represent the dipthong vowel
sound is an oval (
)above the vowels.

OI, -OY DIPTHONG
oi= middle of word
-oy=end of word
soil
ploy
enjoy
noise
point
boy
joint
soy
SPELLING
ANCHOR CHARTS AND
REFERENCE SHEETS
ANCHOR CHARTS
MORE ANCHOR CHARTS…
REFERENCE SHEETS
WORD WORK
WORD HUNTS

Students hunt for a specific syllable type or
cutting pattern in text and record the words.
WORD SORTS-WORDS THEIR WAY
1.
2.
Provide students with a list of words.
Have students sort words according to syllable
pattern or rule.
-ow
ow
ou
row
snow
owl
growl
out
found
RESOURCES FOR GAMES

Florida Center for Reading Research

Grades 2 and 3:
•

Grades 4 and 5:
•
o
http://www.fcrr.org/curriculum/PDF/G2-3/2-3Phonics_4.pdf
http://www.fcrr.org/curriculum/PDF/G4-5/45APPartTwo.pdf
Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics,
Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction
Chapter 6: Word Study for Transitional Leaners in
the Within Word Pattern Stage
• Chapter 7: Word Study for Intermediate Readers
and Writers: The Syllables and Affixes Stage
•