It’s Time to Read Open Syllable Words

April is the time for second graders to read Open Syllables.  Second grade is the grade that takes on teaching all six syllable types. I prepared these Open Syllables activities to teach to my kiddos over Zoom during this time of distance learning.  So I wanted to share them with you. They are simple, multi-skilled resources.  Actually by the time you and your students talk through the phonic skills on each page, these lessons could last for two weeks.  So hopefully, you will find these activities handy and easy to use.

Second Grade Reading Timeline

My school-year reading timeline looks something like this for my second graders.  I teach Closed Syllables the first three months of school and then Vowel-Consonant-e over the next two months. Then after Christmas break, I jump into teaching r-Controlled Syllables, which takes about six weeks.  After that, I am off to teaching Vowel Teams, which takes me through Spring break.  April arrives, and it is time to teach Open Syllables.   Then the last couple weeks of school are given to teaching Final Stable Syllables.

Easy Open Syllable Skills to Teach in First Grade

Open Syllable vowel -y at the end of words can easily be taught to first graders.   The letter -y saying long /e/ in words [happy, candy, funny] is a basic skill to introduce in first grade.  The letter -y saying long -/i/ in words [fry, sky, try] is another easy first-grade skill.

Difficult Open Syllable Skills to Teach in Second Grade

Honestly, I find Open Syllable is the most difficult syllable type for students to learn due to Open Syllable vowels being at the beginning, middle, and end of words.   What makes this syllable type somewhat harder is because a syllable can break off immediately after a vowel.  Up until this point, students have only decoded a word by keeping the consonants around the vowel in that syllable.  This is how they have visually trained their eyes.  Another difficulty is the third sound of vowels is introduced which is the schwa sound.

Definition of an Open Syllable

So what is an Open Syllable?  Here are three easy things to keep in mind when defining an Open Syllable:

• • it contains one vowel
  • the vowel is at the end of the syllable
  • the vowel usually says its long sound or the schwa sound /u/ which is a weaker short /u/ sound

Open Syllable Examples

Words such as able, ago, idea, alike, open, unit are examples of an Open Syllable appearing at the beginning of a word:

Words such as celebrate, animal, president, customer are examples of an Open Syllable appearing in the middle of a word.

Words such as tuna, mini, cacti, chili, echo, candy are examples of an Open Syllable appearing at the end of a word.

Check out the FREEBIE!  It teaches using simple examples.  Thereby, making the details of the skill easy for beginners.

Time to Teach Open Syllable Freebie

More Open Syllable Information

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Open-Vowel-Syllables-Unit-5-925491 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/15-Open-Vowel-Syllable-Activities-Games-1312232. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Open-Syllable-Bundle-Packet-1313008.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Schwa-Sound-5066541.