Using games to teach syllables is an ideal way to help your students reach reading and writing goals. Have your students look at words on a piece of paper or on a chalkboard and divide the word into syllables by writing slashes. Circle each syllable and count the number of syllables in each word. Ask students to write as many one-, two-, three- or four-syllable words that begin with a certain letter. Read words aloud so students can hear the syllables.
Matching syllables helps children understand how to manipulate different sounds. Use a list of two-syllable words with one syllable on one side of a piece of paper and the other syllable on the other side of the paper. Ask your students to match the syllables to make words. You can also use flash cards with one syllable on each card; your students match cards to make words. Alternatively, you can separate words into syllables and ask your students to mix and match the syllables to make silly words.
Use a variety of techniques for counting syllables. Give your students markers or tokens and a paper with a grid drawn on it. Read words aloud and ask your students to place one marker per syllable in one of the boxes on the sheet of paper. Students can also compare the number of vowels they see and the amount of vowels heard as well as the number of syllables. Students can clap as they say a word and count how many times they clap. Write the names of each child in the class, tally the number of syllables in each name, and add the total number of syllables.
Using music is a fun way to teach and learn syllables. Students can tap a drum as they say a word. The number of times they tap the drum is the amount of syllables in the word. Write new lyrics to the tune of a familiar song to teach a syllable concept. For example, the song can ask the students to switch the beginning syllable with another syllable sound, which will change the word; this activity also encourages learning rhymes.