| As beginning readers begin to recognize the | | | | activity takes only three minutes of concentrated, |
| connection between speech sounds and letters | | | | whole class practice, twice per week. |
| (phonemic awareness), use the alphabetic code to | | | | Who Benefits: The instructional activity is beneficial |
| begin sounding out and blending letter sounds | | | | for remedial, grade-level, and accelerated readers |
| (phonics), and write down the letters to represent | | | | and spellers ages seven and older. |
| those sounds (spelling), they also begin to | | | | Instructional Objectives: Over the year, students |
| recognize certain patterns in single-syllable words. | | | | will learn to apply each of the Syllable Rules and all |
| Precocious Paula notices that some sounds are | | | | of the phonetic patterns in their reading and |
| used more than others: long and short vowels | | | | spelling. |
| more than consonants. In fact, Paula observes | | | | Tactics: Rather than an inductive "Here are the |
| that the teacher always writes the letters | | | | rules-with examples-now apply them" approach, |
| representing these sounds in different colors than | | | | students practice many examples of each syllable |
| the consonants. She also sees that the big reading | | | | pattern to achieve mastery of that pattern. The |
| charts on the walls have these same colors. | | | | syllable patterns are taught, using nonsense |
| Bonus-year Bobby notices that every word that | | | | syllables because students ages seven and older |
| his teacher writes has at least one of those | | | | have extensive sight word vocabularies, which can |
| vowel spellings. Already-reading Alma may even | | | | interfere with learning how changes in spelling |
| ask why one vowel sound can have more than | | | | affect pronunciation and syllabication. |
| one spelling. Conforming Carl may be upset that | | | | Materials/Preparation: The Spelling Transformers |
| you won't let him sound out the teacher's list of | | | | activity is designed to use the overhead |
| Outlaw Words (non-phonetic sight words). | | | | projector, Smart BOARD®, or LCD projector. |
| In other words, through implicit or explicit | | | | Make a card with one corner cut off as a |
| instruction/practice, children will begin to develop | | | | rectangle to isolate each word part (see Sample |
| recognition of syllable patterns. As more complex | | | | Attachment) and cut a bottom flap to more |
| stories and advanced instruction layer in | | | | easily slide the card on the transparency. Develop |
| multi-syllabic words, most students identify these | | | | nonsense word lists that correspond to the |
| syllable patterns and apply this knowledge in their | | | | Syllable Rules and follow the instructional phonetic |
| reading and writing. About 80% of students at | | | | pattern of short vowels, consonants, long vowels, |
| the end of third grade can readily identify syllables | | | | consonant blends, silent final "e," vowel digraphs, |
| and use this knowledge to guide their reading and | | | | and vowel diphthongs. |
| writing (of course a higher percentage in some | | | | Directions: Teach students to respond out loud, |
| schools and a lower percentage in others). | | | | whole class, as soon as the nonsense syllable is |
| Multi-syllabic decoding (phonics) and encoding | | | | isolated on the projector. Tell students that they |
| (spelling) are the keys to the kingdoms of reading | | | | must pronounce each syllable out loud, and not |
| fluency and academic vocabulary. Reading | | | | just whisper. Continue at a rapid pace for three |
| multi-syllabic words is also a fundamental skill | | | | minutes. Formatively assess student progress and |
| required for the new genres of reading that most | | | | repeat difficult transformers. When students have |
| students begin in 4th grade: their expository | | | | universally mastered the syllable pattern, explain |
| history and science texts. | | | | the relevant rule and then move on to the next |
| The 80% require practice and refinement of skills | | | | syllable rule. |
| to develop automaticity in reading and spelling. The | | | | Instructional |
| 20% require differentiated instruction: some on | | | | |
| basic phonemic awareness, some on the decoding, | | | | For the Spelling Transformers syllabication activity, |
| some on the encoding, some on common sight | | | | individual sound-spelling worksheets that |
| words. Following is an instructional strategy that | | | | correspond with the TSV Spelling Assessment, |
| will scratch both the 80% and 20% itches. The | | | | spelling rules with memorable raps and songs on |
| scratch will provide permanent relief to the | | | | CD, spelling tests, Greek and Latin vocabulary |
| former, but only temporary relief to the latter; | | | | worksheets, spelling and vocabulary games, and |
| however, instructional strategies that accomplish | | | | more to differentiate spelling and vocabulary |
| both at the same time and certainly worth using. | | | | instruction, please check out Teaching Spelling and |
| Spelling Transformers Syllabication Strategy | | | | Vocabulary. |
| Time: The Spelling Transformers whole-class | | | | |