How to Improve Spelling- The Connection Between Syllables, Vowels and Spelling

Spending time on syllables can help a child:

Slow down
Hear sounds more accurately
Recognize common spelling patterns.
Strengthen decoding skills.
Break big words down into manageable parts

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When it comes to spelling, there are A LOT of rules.

magic e makes the vowel say its name
i before e except after c
when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking
/or/ is the “juicy sound” like in the word orange

The problem is that all of those rules also have multiple rule breakers!

Finding rule breakers can be a fun activity. Of course, kids need to understand basic spelling rules in order to identify a rule breaker.

One rule that is very difficult to find a rule breaker for is, “Every syllable in every word has to have at least one vowel.”

I am a reading tutor. The first thing I usually do after greeting a student is ask “What are the most important letters in the alphabet?” Hopefully the response is “A E I O U and Y.”

The next question I ask is, “Why are vowels so important?” Hopefully the response is, “Because every syllable in every word has to have at least one vowel.”

If you want to know more about why vowels are the most important letters, check out this post:

https://thevowelcoach.com/a-e-i-o-u-y/

Counting Syllables:

Say the word and have the child repeat it.
Ask the child how many syllables s/he hears in the word.
Make a line for the corresponding number of syllables.
Have the child write down the sounds s/he hears in each syllable.
Have the child mark the vowels and make sure there is a vowel in each syllable.

After a child writes the letters for each sound, it is time to ask, “Does every syllable in your word have at least one vowel?” If a syllable is missing a vowel, help the child “hear” what the vowel is saying.

Below are some examples of syllable activities from my TPT shop. Here is the link for my FREE zoo animal syllable activities: