When children clap in order to find the number of syllables in a word, there is an obvious beat which they create. The sound is methodical, and they often use a monotone voice to sound out the word. You can use this beat to help students practice finding the number of syllables in words in another way as well.
Using the free metronome found at http://www.metronomeonline.com/, begin by having your child clap to the beat. Select the beat at 92 beats-per-minute (BPM). After your child has followed the rhythm for a short time, change to a higher BPM. Talk with your child about how the new beat sounds. Then choose a much lower BPM, and discuss how this beat sounds. Allow your child to choose a beat as well.
Now select a familiar tune, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or Mary Had a Little Lamb. Help your child clap to the beat while using the metronome at 92 BPM. Focus on saying one syllable for each beat. Finally, use the metronome to say each song very slowly and very quickly. Children will love going to the extremes with this activity and probably won’t even realize they are learning a valuable pre-reading skill!
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Written by BRWI Staff on September 5, 2011
Syllables can be a tricky concept for young children to grasp. They are still learning to master one-to-one correspondence, and listening for something you are not able to touch can be very difficult. Here is a game that requires on chalk and an open space outside, and yet it helps children see, hear, and even move to the syllables in a word.
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Written by Laura on July 25, 2011
Once children are able to identify the number of syllables in a word, they can graduate from activities where they are given a word and they determine the number of syllables to a reverse in the steps. Try switching up a previous activity to make it more challenging.
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Written by Laura on July 6, 2011
Most adults can probably remember watching as a child a television program where characters in the show would slide letters of a word slowly together while saying the sounds each letter makes. As the letters slid closer together, the letter sounds were produced more quickly. When the letters were finally together, the word the letters made would be pronounced.
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Written by Laura on June 13, 2011
Breaking words into parts in a major part of learning to decode words once a child is beginning to read. One part of doing that is identifying syllables. Try this game with your child to help him practice identifying the number of syllables in a word.
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Written by BRWI Staff on April 1, 2011
When children first begin to read, they are usually presented with words that are only one syllable, such as “dog”, “cat”, “mom”, and “dad”. However, as their reading skills improve, they will quickly move on to longer, more challenging words. Having a firm understanding of how words can be divided into syllables will help a child break down a word
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Written by BRWI Staff on February 23, 2011
Although identifying syllables in a word is most commonly a listening skill, it can be developed and honed using physical activities as well. Many children may also benefit from being able to “see” the syllables in the word. Both of these concepts can be achieved using the following activity.
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Written by Laura on January 19, 2011
Most lessons with syllables focus on having the child identify what they hear when words are spoken. In this activity, using only a mirror, the child will learn to identify the number of syllables in a word by using their eyes to see how their mouths move.
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Written by BRWI Staff on December 20, 2010
Some kids pick up the concept of syllable very quickly. Their ears are tuned in, and they are able to pick out the number of word “chunks” they hear just by listening. Other children, however, need a more concrete, visual or physical method of “seeing” or “feeling” the syllables in the word.
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Written by Laura on December 6, 2010
There are few different ways to introduce the concept of syllables to young children. On this site, we have previously discussed clapping your hands and using musical instruments, along with several other ideas. Once your child has a few methods in her repertoire, she will need practice using those techniques. Here is one way to do just that using zoo animals as the theme.
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Written by BRWI Staff on October 15, 2010
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