By the third grade, most children already have a basic understanding of words, but should learn how to recognize and count syllables in order to develop their understanding of words with multiple syllables. Encourage children to pronounce words of varying lengths aloud to a partner or while watching themselves in a mirror. Have them count the number of times that their mouths open while speaking a word and explain to them that these show how many syllables are in each word. Explain to students that each syllable has one vowel sound, and that vowel sounds are what causes their mouths to open. Consider having children clap for each syllable as you say a variety of single syllable and multi-syllabic words.
Having the ability to divide longer words of multiple syllables is a vital strategy for improving comprehension and fluency in third-grade students. Display words of varying lengths for the children to read. Get them to identify the different parts of each word and divide the words into different vowel sounds. Speak aloud a series of words of multiple syllables and have children remove the first syllable and repeat them back to you. For example “center” would become “ter.”
Regular reading, both aloud in groups and independently, allows young children to develop their awareness and understanding of words with multiple syllables. It also helps to develop blending and fluency, which are important reading skills to learn. Get third-grade children to read words with single syllables first until they are confident enough to read those words on their own, before progressing to words with multiple syllables. Have children speak the different syllable sounds in each word separately aloud before blending the whole word together. As they learn to recognize more patterns of syllable sounds and read more words with multiple syllables, encourage wider independent reading that is appropriate for third-grade students to help them construct meaning as they read.
When children are able to confidently recognize, divide and comprehend different syllable sounds, they need to learn about the common types of syllable spelling patterns. Learning these will provide third graders with the knowledge of how different words are formed. Teach children the difference between a closed syllable, which is a word ending in a consonant, and an open syllable, which is a word ending in a vowel. Once children can distinguish closed and open syllables, give examples and have them learn about r-controlled syllables, vowel teams, words ending in a silent “e” and words ending in “le.”