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  • Open Syllables Skill Explainer

Quick Look: Open, Closed, or R-Controlled?

Video thumbnail for Quick Look: Open, Closed, or R-Controlled?
Produced by Reading Universe, a partnership of WETA, Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book
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Liz Quezada:

These are syllables. See there's a part of a word. Okay, so we're going to touch the vowel. Look next door. We're going to ask ourselves, is it r-controlled? Open syllable ends in a vowel and the vowel is ...

together: long.

Liz Quezada: And a closed syllable ends in a consonant and the vowel is ...

together: short.

Liz Quezada: Alright, touch the first one. Touch the vowel. Go next door. Is it r-controlled, open, or closed?

students: R-controlled.

Liz Quezada: The vowel will say?

students: /ar/.

Liz Quezada: Sound?

students: /m/, /ar/.

Liz Quezada: Grab.

students: Mar.

Liz Quezada: Good. Next one, touch the vowel. Go next door. Is it r-controlled, open, or closed?

students: Open.

Liz Quezada: The vowel will say ...?

students: It's name.

Liz Quezada: It's name. It's going to say ...?

students: /ā/.

Liz Quezada: Sound?

together: /s/, /t/, /ā/.

Liz Quezada: Grab.

students: Sta.

Liz Quezada: Very good. Next one. Touch the vowel. Go next door. Is it r-controlled, open, or closed?

students: Closed.

Liz Quezada: The vowel will spell?

students: /ĭ/.

Liz Quezada: Sound?

students: /n/, /ĭ/,, /b/.

Liz Quezada: Grab.

students: Nib.

Liz Quezada: Nib. Very good. Touch the vowel. Look next door. Is it r-controlled, open, or closed?

students: Open.

Liz Quezada: The vowel will spell?

students: /ā/.

Liz Quezada: Sound?

students: /k/, /r/, /ā/.

Liz Quezada: Grab.

students: Cra.

Liz Quezada: Very good.

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Support Materials

Six Syllable Types

Use this printable to remember the six syllable types you'll teach during phonics instruction. It includes explanations and examples for closed, open, magic 'e', r-controlled, vowel teams, and consonant '-le' syllables. Go to the skill explainers for each syllable type to learn more.

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Reading Universe is made possible by generous support from Jim & Donna Barksdale; the Hastings/Quillin Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (opens in new window); the AFT (opens in new window); the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation (opens in new window); and several anonymous donors.