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INTERVENTION STRATEGY:
Brief Description: This phonics intervention helps students move from single to multisyllabic words. It is for students who have This intervention can be used when students have adequately learned to spell short consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.
It’s okay if they have some difficulty attempting multisyllabic words. This technique will help students get over their hesitation using syllable boards and a technique called
“flexing” the syllable. These cards will be used to “flex” vowels until a word is pronounced correctly. syllable board is preferable to paper pencil because sometimes students are hesitant to erase their work
Materials Needed: Syllable boards (which are created by cutting erasable whiteboards to the size of 3 x 5 inch cards), different colors of dry erase markers, whiteboard eraser
Implementation: A teacher or paraprofessional can implement this strategy with whole group, small group, or individuals.
1.
The teacher should make sure to have a supply of syllable boards on hand, giving
3 or 4 to each participant.
2.
The teacher writes a multisyllabic word on her syllable board.
3.
After the word is written, the teacher asks the students some questions about it, such as how many vowels there are, whether or not the vowels are together, whether or not there is a silent e, and how many syllables are in it.
4.
The teacher then asks each person to write the word on syllable boards, one syllable per board.
5.
Each student is asked to pronounce the word.
6.
If the word does not sound right, the teacher assists students in correcting it by directing them to “flex” the syllable by moving some letters from one board to the next, thus changing the syllables.
7.
The student is again asked to read the word.
Here is an example:
First the teacher write “ document” on the board.
Teacher: “How may vowels are there in the word?”
Student: “3!”
Teacher: “Are they together or apart?”
Student: “Apart!”
Teacher: “Do you see a silent e?
”
Student: “No”
Teacher: “Okay, good job. How many syllables are there in the word?”
Student: “3!”
Teacher: “Okay, now please write them on the syllable boards.”
The student then writes each syllable on a different syllable board.
Do cu ment
The student is then asked to pronounce the word. If the student has been taught the

correct rules for syllable division, the “do” would be pronounced with a long “o” because it is an open syllable. However, when saying the word, the student should notice that it does not make sense.
The teacher, together with the student, “flexes” the syllable. This is done by erasing the
“c” from the second syllable board and writing it on the first syllable board. This time the syllable boards will look like this.
Doc u ment
Then, the teacher asks the student to read the word. This time, the word should sound correct because the first syllable is now closed and produce a short vowel.
Schedule for implementation: 20 minutes a day, three days a week or five times per week 10-15 minutes each time. This may be varied with other phonics strategies during the intervention period in order to keep up interest.
Variations: n/a
Research Summary & References: The following books and references may be consulted to learn the essentials and variations of this strategy:
Hall, S.E. (2006). I’ve DIBEL’d, Now What? Designing Interventions with DIBELS Data .
Boston, MA. Sopris West.
Tool/Attachments: n/a