Step 3: Open vs Closed Syllables

Closed Syllable Header — Closed Syllable

Definitions:
CV stands for Consonant Vowel, which is an open syllable (be, go, no).
CVC (or VC) stands for Consonant Vowel Consonant, which is a closed syllable (bet, got, not).

Teaching/Learning to Read

teachingvideos

Teaching Videos

Open and Closed Syllables

vowels a, e, i, o, and u can say their own name in an open syllable

y at the end of open syllables

y says long i or long e at the end of words — 3 posters for sassy y and vowels saying their names

2 sounds for the name of ū

y says long i at the end of one syllable words, and long e at the end of multiple syllable words

TEACH ALONG THE WAY ●●●

Note on Syllables: Every syllable has a vowel sound. The vowel sounds make our chins go down when we speak. Vowel sounds create syllables. Place your fingers under your chin. Say the word “begin” out loud. You can feel your jaw drop two times. First for the open syllable “be”, then for the closed syllable “gin.” Many teachers clap for each syllable. When learners spell bigger words, teach them to count how many syllables are in the word, then spell each syllable, one at a time. Practice identifying and counting syllables. This skill is critical as learners progress to reading and spelling multiple syllable words.

Teaching Activity

Act Out Open and Closed Syllables! Start teaching the first two syllable types by making letter cards and act out what the vowel would say in different situations. For example holding an “e” letter the learner acts out “ē, ē I can say my name!” When an “m” arrives to its right (left as you look at it) the student acts out “ē! I can say my name! And run away!” But then a letter t arrives to close it in! Student acts out “/ĕ/” (short sound of e) “I wasn’t showing off… /ĕ/.” Find directions here.

Practice Reading

KEY:
K-1 Beginning
1-2 Growing
Intervention/Challenge
* A favorite!

Bundle: Additional various activities to practice a specific skill
Pack: Additional multiple versions of a specific activity to practice a specific skill

bundlesandpacks

Open and Closed Syllable Bundles!

Open Syllable CV Beginning Reader Bundle Open Syllable Bundle with words, phrases, Pyramids, games and stories.

Open and Closed Syllable CVC, CV Multi-syllable Bundle Open and Closed Syllable Bundle with words, phrases, game and story.

Individual Materials including materials for more advanced learners:

Lists

Word and Phrase Lists

Open Syllable CV y word and phrase lists Stars
Open Syllable CV y y says i list
Open Syllable CV y y says /ī/ open syllable word phrase and sentence lists
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC cv cvc Lists and Identification
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC 2 syllable Read and Spell
Open Syllable CV 3 sounds of y open syllable word lists
Open and Closed Syllable -y says /ē/ list Silly
Open Syllable CV Open Syllable Nonsense List *These are possible first syllables to longer words. For example open syllable “o” is the first syllable in “open” and open syllable “pre” is the first syllable in the word “prevent.”
Open Syllable CV Mixed challenge wordlist Robot Says Hi
Open and Closed Syllable CVC/CVC y dividing multiple syllable words Crazy Nonsense Words
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC words and phrases I Prefer Rodents

Flashcards

Flashcards

Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Word Flashcards
Open Syllable y Flashcards
Open Syllable y Phrase Flashcards

Games

Games

Game Directions

Open Syllable CV whole group, small group, or one-on-one game PO-TA-TO
Open Syllable CV word game easy We Will Go
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC word game harder We Will Go
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC phrase game Try the Hot Dog
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC and Dolch 1 phrase game They Said Why
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC and Dolch 1 phrase game That Man Was Mad
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Zap
Open and Closed Syllable CV to CVC game He Met Me
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y Schwa initial Open syllables word game This Baby is Not Silent
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Just For Fun Monster Design Sheet
Open Syllable CV game Tomato
Open Syllable CV game 2 Tomatoes
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Initial open syllable word game 2 Locate the Super Zebra
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Initial open syllable phrases Open for Business!

Spelling

Spelling

Practice with words from the lists, games etc., or use the lists below.
* Having learners spell with word chains where the coach says “change one sound in (chop) to spell (chip), now change one sound in (chip) to spell (sip)” is a powerful way to draw student’s attention to individual sounds in the words!

Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC Read and Spell

Small Books

Open Syllable CV small book We Go Go Go foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book and flashcards Get a Hit foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book I Can See foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book The Big Box foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book Who Can foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book She Can, He Can foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book She Can, He Can horizontal format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y Small Book Try to Fly foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y Small Book Try to Fly horizontal format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y small book We Can Spy, Can You? foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y small book We Can Spy, Can You? horizontal format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book Get a Pet foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book Get a Pet horizontal format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book This is Max foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book This is Max horizontal format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC/y small book Why Is The… foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC small book Who is He foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC VCE small book Who is She foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC 4 page multiple syllable The Concert foldable format
Open and Closed Syllable CV/CVC 4 page multiple syllable The Concert horizontal format

Full Page Stories with Lists

Highlighting Word Lists directions

Open and Closed Syllable CVC/CVC multiple syllable list and story THE FALCON

Teacher Resources

Posters/Visuals

Teaching Stories

Written Story: Open & Closed Syllable Story Summary
Written Story: 2 Sounds for Long u Story as told in Teaching Video
Full name & nickname Story/Explanation for 2 sounds of Long u:
- Full name: The letter u’s name is pronounced like the word “you”. This word has two phonemes (sounds): the /y/ sound (as in yes), and then the /oo/ sound (as in moon). In words like use and cute the letter u’s full name is heard.
- Nickname: Often the u goes only by the end of its name, its nickname. For its nickname the u drops the first phoneme (sound) /y/ and we only hear the second phoneme (sound) /oo/. We only hear the /oo/ sound of the u’s name in words like tube and flute.

PowerPoints

PowerPoint: Open & Closed Syllables and y at End of Open syllables from Teaching Videos
PowerPoint: All Syllable Types with Practice (Directions in notes section on each slide) Use only slides that are relevant to where you are in the steps.

Directions

Map Sounds to Letters

First map the sounds in the word to the letter(s) representing the sounds, even if it is not a letter combination that has been taught yet. Only an unusual sound/letter combination needs to be remembered “by heart.” Mapping the sounds to the letters is how we remember what words look like. See example below:

Map sounds to the letters that spell those sounds. Teach spelling

Be sure to reinforce what you know and are learning about words:
Schwa Sound: Any vowel might say /u/. Point out this happens in many common words like: the, of, was, some, from…