Why is instruction of
multisyllabic words important?
Many big words occur infrequently,
but when they do occur they carry
much of the meaning and content of
what is being read.
-Cunningham, 1998
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From 5th grade on, the average
student encounters about 10,000 new
words each year. Most of these words
are multisyllabic.
Poor readers often identify
multisyllabic words inaccurately by
processing the letters within words,
rather than the syllables.
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Instruction can begin as soon as students
have mastered the decoding of single
syllable words.
Other prerequisites include the ability to:
◦ pronounce common sound/spelling
correspondences, especially vowel spelling
combinations
◦ identify open and closed syllables
◦ pronounce affixes in isolation
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Closed syllables-a syllable ending in
one or more consonants and having a
short-vowel sound spelled with one
vowel letter. Ex) picnic
Affixes-are bound morphemes. This
group of word parts includes prefixes
and two kinds of suffixes.

Fold a paper into fourths. Print the letter m
in the first fourth and the letter e in the
second fourth. Then, fold over the last
fourth (it will cover the third fourth) and
print the letter n in it.
m e
Tell students that every syllable has only one vowel
sound. Fold over the paper flap with the letter n to
show the word men. Say: The door is closed. Ask:
What’s the word? (men) Right. This one-syllable word
is men. The consonant at the end of this word tells
me that this is a closed syllable. In a closed syllable,
a consonant “closes in” the vowel and the vowel
sound is short, just as you read it. Point to the letter
e in men. Say: This letter stands for/e/. Point to men
and say: Let’s say the word again.
m e

Now, unfold the paper flap, or “open the door,”
to reveal the word me. Say: I just opened the
door. Ask: What’s this word? (me) Say: Right.
This one-syllable word is me. The single vowel
at the end tells me that this is an open syllable.
In an open syllable, the vowel sound is the
same as the name of the letter; or long. Point
to the letter e in me. Say: This letter stands
for/ē/. The letter’s name is the same as its
sound. Point to me and say: Let’s say the word
again.
m e
pa
re
al
em
pal
rem
ri
hu
im
un
rim
hun
fa
ro
an
oth
fan
roth
pi
em
Introduce a word
 gorilla
2. Count the syllables in the word
 /gor/ /il/ /la/
3. Spell each syllable
 gor il la
4. Compare and correct
 gorilla
1.