As beginning readers begin to recognize the connection between speech sounds and letters (phonemic awareness), they use the alphabetic code to begin pronouncing and blending letter sounds (phonics) and write letters to represent those sounds. (spelling), they are also beginning to recognize certain patterns in one-syllable words.

The precocious Paula notes that some sounds are used more than others: long and short vowels more than consonants. In fact, Paula observes that the teacher always writes the letters that represent these sounds in colors other than consonants. She also sees that the large reading frames on the walls have these same colors. Bobby, the extra year, notices that every word his teacher writes has at least one of those spellings. Already reading, Alma may even ask why a vowel sound can have more than one spelling. Conformist Carl may be upset that you won’t let him pronounce the teacher’s list of outlaw words (non-phonetic sight words).

In other words, through implicit or explicit instruction/practice, children will begin to develop recognition of syllable patterns. As more complex stories and advanced instruction in multi-syllable words overlap, most students identify these syllable patterns and apply this knowledge in their reading and writing. About 80% of students by the end of third grade can easily identify syllables and use this knowledge to guide their reading and writing (of course, a higher percentage in some schools and a lower percentage in others).

Decoding (phonics) and encoding (spelling) of various syllables are the keys to the realms of reading fluency and academic vocabulary. Reading multisyllable words is also a foundational skill required for the new genres of reading that most students begin in fourth grade: their history and science expository texts.

80% require practice and refinement of skills to develop automaticity in reading and spelling. 20% require differentiated instruction: some on basic phonemic awareness, some on decoding, some on encoding, some on common sight words. The following is an instructive strategy that will scratch both 80% and 20% of the itch. The scratch will provide permanent relief to the former, but only temporary relief to the latter; however, instructional strategies that do both at the same time are certainly worth using.

Spelling Transformers Syllabification Strategy

Time: The Spelling Transformers whole-class activity takes just three minutes of concentrated practice for the whole class, twice a week.

Who Benefits: The instructional activity is beneficial for remedial, grade level, and accelerated readers and spellers ages seven and older.

Instructional Objectives: During the year, students will learn to apply each of the Syllable Rules and all of the phonetic patterns in their reading and spelling.

Tactics – Rather than an inductive “Here are the rules, with examples, now apply them” approach, students practice many examples of each syllable pattern to achieve mastery of that pattern. Syllable patterns are taught using nonsense syllables because students ages seven and older have a large vocabulary of recognizable sight words, which can interfere with learning how spelling changes affect pronunciation and syllabication.

Materials/Setup: The Spelling Transformers activity is designed to use the overhead projector, Smart BOARD®, or LCD projector. Make a card with one corner cut out as a rectangle to isolate each part of the word (see sample attachment) and cut a bottom flap to make it easier to slide the card into the transparency. Develop lists of nonsense words that correspond to the Syllable Rules and follow the instructive phonetic pattern of short vowels, consonants, long vowels, consonant blends, final silent “e,” vowel digraphs, and vowel diphthongs.

Directions: Teach students to respond out loud, as a whole class, as soon as the nonsense syllable is isolated on the overhead. Instruct students to say each syllable out loud, not just whisper. Continue at a brisk pace for three minutes. Formatively assess student progress and repeat difficult transformers. When students have universally mastered the syllable pattern, explain the relevant rule and then move on to the next syllable rule.

Instructional examples:

fi-fid-fid-fide

bam-ba-bame-baim-bamme

For the Spelling Transformers syllabication activity, individual sounds spelling worksheets that correspond to the TSV spelling test, spelling rules with memorable raps and songs on CD, spelling tests, Greek and Latin vocabulary worksheets , spelling and vocabulary games, and more to differentiate spelling and vocabulary instruction, see Teaching Spelling and Vocabulary.