Multi-Syllable Words VCe Compounds Science of Reading Phonics for Older Students

This is a No Prep - Reading Intervention Program for older struggling readers that incorporates the science of reading research. Google Slides link included. This program helps students learn multi-syllable words through phonics practice. This unit concentrates on VCe compound words. It contains fluency, comprehension, word work, a teaching Powerpoint, interactive workbook pages, assessments and more. This entire unit is research-based, and the research is included.

This program works for resource, whole class, RTI, summer school, intervention, and more. If you are using this program with more than one student – partner up. Partnering students is engaging and lets everyone participate. This program helps students build confidence while reinforcing learning; additionally, by reading, tracking and reading again, student exposure to each passage is maximized.

Table of Contents

Fluency Research page 3

Fluency Instructions and Optional Instructional Script page 4

Multisyllabic Word Reading Research page 5

Pre-Assignment Assessment Teacher Page page 6

Pre-Assignment Assessment Student Page page 7

VCe Teaching pages page 8

backfire – fireman - lifelong – spaceship: Poster or Notebook Page page 10

Word Work page 11

Sentence Fluency page 12

Fluency Passage page 13

Fluency Passage Comprehension Page page 14

Interactive Notebook Page page 15

VCe Teaching pages page 16

hillside – sunrise – flagpole – pothole: Poster or Notebook page page 17

Word Work page 18

Sentence Fluency page 19

Fluency Passage page 20

Fluency Passage Comprehension Page page 21

Interactive Notebook Page page 22

Kingda Ka and Roller Coasters Assignment page 23

Kingda Ka Assignment page 24

VCe Teaching pages page 25

campsite – bedtime - campfire - fireside: Poster or Notebook page page 26

Word Work page 27

Sentence Fluency page 28

Fluency Passage page 29

Fluency Passage Comprehension Page page 20

Interactive Notebook Page page 31

VCe Teaching pages page 32

cupcake – inside – springtime – homemade - pancake page 33

Word Work page 34

Sentence Fluency page 35

Fluency Passage page 36

Fluency Passage Comprehension Page page 37

Interactive Notebook Page page 38

Write a Paragraph CVe Words page 39

Answer Keypage 40

Multisyllabic Word Reading Research

To progress in reading, students must have strategies for decoding big words.  From fifth grade on, the average student encounters about 10,000 new words each year. Most of these words are multisyllabic. (Nagy and Anderson 1984).

It is helpful for students to be familiar with the common rules for syllable division. Knowing these rules and being able to apply them flexibly will help students decode longer multisyllabic words. (Carreker 2005; Henry 2010b) 

According to Shefelbine and Calhoun 1991, “Low decoders, correctly pronounced fewer affixes and vowel sounds, disregarded large portions of letter information and were two to four times more likely to omit syllables.”

Several studies have shown that teaching students strategies for decoding longer words improves their decoding ability. (Archer et al. 2006; Archer 2018.) 

Recognizing a Decoding Problem Symptoms:

• Guesses at words from context
• Avoids sounding out new words
• Confuses similar sounds, symbols, and/or words
• Inaccurate reading of nonsense words or words out of context
• Inadequate sight word vocabulary
• Tires easily, looks away, is easily frustrated, hates to read 

These strategies build word recognition and build strong readers:

• Phonemic Awareness
• Vocabulary/Morphology
• Fluency

Teaching Syllabication

• Syllabication instruction teaches a struggling reader strategies to decode multi-syllable words quickly.
• Students learn to systematically break a multisyllable work into small manageable syllables, identify the vowel sounds within each syllable and “sound out” the word syllable by syllable.
• As students progress through the lessons, they will internalize the process and apply it easily and effortlessly.
• They will become faster, more efficient and fluent readers who comprehend at a higher level.

Fluency Research

To be considered “on level” in reading fluency, students should be able to read aloud an unrehearsed passage, (i.e., either narrative or expository, fiction or non-fiction that is 200 to 300 words in length) from a grade-level text, with at least 95% accuracy in word reading. As students read aloud, their reading should sound as effortless as if they were speaking (Hasbrouck & Glaser, 2012.) This does not come easily for some students, which is why fluency practice is so essential.

In order to be considered fluent readers, students in grades 9 through 12 should be able to correctly read 150 words per minute (Hasbrouck & Tindal, 2006). In 2006 and again in 2010, Hasbrouck and Hasbrouck and Tindal (respectively) put forth that “[i]t is sufficient for students to read unpracticed, grade-level text at the 50th percentile of oral reading fluency norms” and that “…teachers do not need to have students read faster because there is no evidence that reading faster than the 50th percentile increases comprehension.” See chart below.

The best strategy for developing and improving reading fluency is to provide students with many opportunities to read the same passages orally several times. These exercises provide such opportunities. On each passage, there is space for reading fluency calculations. The best part is that the passages are quick and make it easy for students to read aloud repeatedly – and often – without taking up a lot of valuable classroom time. The activities can also be spread over several days.

Intervention: Multi-Syllable Word Unit for Older Students VC/CV - Fluency Plus

Multi-Syllable Word TASK CARDS for Older Students VC/CV

Intervention: Multi-Syllable Word Unit for Older Students V/CV - Fluency Plus

Multi-Syllable Word TASK CARDS for Older Students V/CV

Multi-Syllable Word TASK CARDS for Older Students VC/V

Intervention: Multi-Syllable Word Unit for Older Students VC/V - Fluency Plus