How to Teach Closed Syllables (The First Step in Syllable Division)

Teaching kids to read and spell is a progression. We first teach letters and letter sounds and move to CVC words, then to closed syllables.

Closed syllables are a type of syllable pattern where a vowel is “closed in” by a consonant or two consonants on either side. This “closing in” makes the vowel short.

What makes a syllable?

Let’s define what a syllable is.

A syllable must contain a vowel. A syllable can be a stand-alone vowel, but not a stand-alone consonant.

The C in REVLOC

C in REVLOC stands for closed syllable. (Please see the article on REVLOC if needed.) We teach this syllable type first.

Examples of One-Syllable Words

These words are labeled with the pattern, CVC or Consonant, Vowel, Consonant. They illustrate the closed syllable pattern and how the consonant at the end makes the vowel short. These are real words.

• Cat
• Leg
• Fit
• Dog
• Up (p closing in u still keeps vowel short)
• Ad
• In

Once students master CVC words, we can move into closed syllables, where things might look a little strange, but we are teaching the CVC pattern in syllables.

We show students syllables and have them mark the short vowel, read the syllable, and we practice with dictation, making sure we use the multisensory activities used in structured literacy approaches, like Orton-Gillingham and Science of Reading.

Beginning Syllable Division: VCCV

When students get to multisyllabic words, the first pattern taught is VCCV. The First type of VCCV pattern taught is Rabbit Words, or words with two closed syllables. This is where we are going with these closed syllables.

Rabbit words contain a pattern VCCV or Vowel, Consonant, Consonant, Vowel.

So Rabbit would be VCCV, two closed syllables – Rab bit. It’s easier for our students to read these words because they are applying what they have already learned, once the word is broken down into syllables.

Let’s look at another word: Napkin, broken down it’s: nap’ kin

Here are other examples.

See if you can notice the closed syllables in each word.

Expel      Ex pel
Admit    Ad mit
Confess  Con fess
Compel   Com pel
Kitten     Kit ten
Witness    Wit ness

A Final Word

Closed syllables are a natural step in how Orton-Gillingham uses cumulative learning. Following the scope and sequence, it’s easy to see how this unfolds.