Lesson 5: R-Controlled Syllables
Lesson 5: R-Controlled Syllables
Lesson 5: R-Controlled Syllables
Lesson 5 | 77
R-Controlled Syllables
Lesson 5
OBJECTIVES
• Students will identify the sounds for ar, or, er, ir, and ur.
MATERIALS
• Word dominoes*
• Pocket chart
• Notebook paper
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TIPS
• Scaffold and teach one or two sounds at a time, depending on student proficiency.
• Include a variety of words with the different r-controlled sounds students are learning.
• Include words with r-controlled vowels and words without r-controlled vowels, so
students can practice discriminating the r-controlled sounds (e.g., chart, chat).
DAILY REVIEW
Teacher: Let’s start by quickly reviewing short vowels. I will point to a letter, and you will
tell me its sound. Be alert because I will go quickly! Remember that the cue I give
when it’s time for you to repeat is an open palm.
Students : /i/
OPENING
Teacher: Today we will learn about a type of syllable that changes the way a vowel sounds.
It’s called an r-controlled syllable because the r controls the vowel sound.
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Using the ar, or, er, ir, and ur cards, teach students that r controls the vowel sound. In closed
syllables (at least one consonant “closing in” one vowel), if the vowel is followed by r, the vowel
does not make its expected sound. R changes the vowel sound. These syllables are called
r-controlled syllables. R-controlled syllables are blended with other sounds in a word. When
counting the number of sounds in a word, the r-controlled syllable counts as just one sound.
[Display the word cards her, turn, bird, star, and corn.]
Teacher: Look at these words and tell me something they have in common.
Katie: The r is always the third letter, and it’s after the vowel.
Teacher: Yes, all of the words have r, and the r follows the vowel in each of the words. Here
it is the third letter, but it won’t always be the third letter. Because r follows the
vowel, the vowel does not make its short sound. The r “controls” the vowel sound,
which is why they are called r-controlled syllables.
Let’s start with the letters ar. When you see the letters a and r together in a word,
they usually say /ar/, as in star. What sound does ar usually make?
Students: /ar/
Introduce other r-controlled sounds, as appropriate for your students. Then, begin to demonstrate
how r-controlled sounds work in words.
[Point to p and say /p/. Point to ar and say /ar/. Slide your finger under each
letter as you blend the sounds.]
Now, it’s your turn. Blend the sounds as I slide my finger under the letters.
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[Model adding the final /k/. Slide your finger under p and ar, stretching out
the sound until you point to k.]
Teacher: Your turn. Say the sounds as I slide my finger under the letters.
[Move the cards next to each other. Slide your finger under the letters.]
Teacher: Park: The whole word is park. Now, I will slide my finger under the letters, and you
will read the word.
Students : park
Teacher: Although park has four letters, it has just three sounds because a and r make one
sound, /ar/.
Repeat the sequence with other words, gradually reducing your modeling.
VOWEL-R TEAMS
DECODING
When students have learned all of the r-controlled sounds, teach students to notice whether a
word has a vowel-r team. Teach students to automatically treat a vowel-r team as one sound unit.
Write several words with r-controlled sounds on the board (e.g., marsh, chart, scorn, church, skirt).
Encourage students to see the vowel-r team as a unit, in much the same way digraphs are seen as
a unit. Scaffold by having students circle the vowel-r team and then read the word. Remove the
scaffold as students gain proficiency.
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Teacher: A faster way to read r-controlled syllables is to be on the lookout for vowel-r teams.
When you see one, use that sound when you read the word.
[Circle ar in marsh.]
Teacher: I drew a circle around the vowel-r team because it helps me to remember that the
team makes only one sound: /ar/. /m/ /ar/ /sh/; marsh.
Jasmine: /ar/
Teacher: Nicely done. Andre, please do the next word. After you circle the vowel-r team,
blend the word in your head and then say it fast, like a whole word.
Andre: scorn
ERROR CORRECTION
If an error is with an r-controlled sound, guide the student to the correct sound with questions
about the key word. Use the sound to read the word.
TIPS
• When introducing ir, er, and ur, teach that these vowel-r teams make the same sound, /er/.
Point out that students have learned other sounds that are spelled in more than one way
(e.g., /k/: c, k, or ck; /f/: f or ph).
• Vowel-r letter cards teach students to see the two letters as a unit that makes one sound.
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SEGMENTING SOUNDS
ENCODING
Have students use letter cards to encode dictated words containing r-controlled sounds by
following this sequence:
1. Dictate a word.
2. Have a student repeat the word (listen for correctness).
3. Have the student say each sound in the word and count the sounds in the word.
4. Have the student say the letters that represent the sounds.
5. Have the student say the letters again while collecting the corresponding letter cards.
6. Have the student check by reading the word.
Repeat the sequence with new words, gradually reducing your modeling.
Students: porch
Next, I think about what letters make those sounds: /p/–p, /or/–or, /ch/–ch.
Then, I say the letters while I collect the letter cards: p-or-ch.
Repeat the sequence with new words, gradually reducing your modeling.
ERROR CORRECTION
If a student makes an error, say the word and have student repeat it, emphasizing enunciation.
Note which sound was incorrect and prompt the student with something similar to the following
example: “What says /ar/?”
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TIPS
• For sounds with multiple spelling options (e.g., /er/ spelled er or ur), tell students that they
cannot know which option is correct just from the sound. Students must practice spelling
the words and memorizing which option goes with which words. Students can check
their answers in a dictionary or spell-checker.
Adapted from Wilson, B. A. (2002). Wilson reading system: Instructor manual. Oxford, MA: Wilson Language Training.
Divide students into pairs. Give each pair a stack of facedown word cards and some “category”
cards (i.e., ar, or, er, ir, and ur). Have students take turns saying a word and categorizing it
according to its r-controlled sound and spelling.
Teacher: Each pair has word cards that you will sort into categories, based on the word’s
r-controlled sound and spelling. The categories are on the category cards you
received. They are ar–/ar/, or–/or/, er–/er/, ir–/er/, and ur–/er/.
Andre and Rodolfo, you will be partners, so I’ll use you as examples as I explain the
steps. Andre, pick up the top card and read it aloud without showing it to Rodolfo.
Andre: slurp
Teacher: Rodolfo, repeat the word and say the r-controlled sound.
Teacher: Now identify the correct spelling pattern and which category it belongs to.
Teacher: If you’re right, you can put that word card under the correct category pile. Andre, is
he right?
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Teacher: So, because he was wrong, Rodolfo does a say-spell-say: Say the word, spell the
word, and then say it again. Rodolfo, what will you do?
Rodolfo: I say the word, spell the word, and then say it again: slurp, s-l-u-r-p, slurp.
Teacher: That’s right. And that card goes to the bottom of Andre’s pile, so Rodolfo will get
another chance to try it. Everyone, please begin. I will come around to help you.
Have pairs continue reading and sorting words. It is important that students read the words aloud,
so they do not sort based solely on visual clues.
ERROR CORRECTION
• For a decoding error, note which sound was incorrect and ask questions to guide the
student to correct it. For example, if a student pronounces harp as hard, say something
similar to the following: “What is the last letter in the word? What sound does it make?
Read the word again, please.”
• For a sorting error, say the word again, emphasizing its r-controlled sound, such as in the
following example: “Thorns: What r-controlled sound do you hear? Which category has
/or/?”
• For a spelling option error, say something similar to the following example: “Yes, ir does
makes the /er/ sound, but in hurt, it is spelled ur. What letters say /er/ in hurt?”
TIP
Give different pairs different sets of words. After a pair has sorted one word set, switch sets with
another pair.
ADAPTATION
After sorting words, have students say the words in each category, use them in a sentence, or say
their meaning.
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READ MY MIND
DECODING
Arrange 15–20 word cards faceup in a grid pattern. Choose a word (without telling students) as “it,”
and have students try to “read your mind” by guessing which word you have chosen. If a student
succeeds, he or she keeps the card, and you choose another word. When a student unsuccessfully
guesses, turn the card he or she guessed facedown and have the next student take a turn.
Teacher: I have chosen one of these cards as “it,” but I’m not going to tell you which one. You
must read my mind. When it is your turn, say the word you think I chose and point
to the card with that word on it. If you guess correctly, you get to keep the card. If
not, the next person has a turn. You must be ready to say your word when it is your
turn, so read the words silently before it’s your turn.
TIPS
• Make sure that students read the words and point to the correct word cards.
• Students must be ready to say their word when it’s their turn or the pacing will be too
slow. If necessary, establish a time limit of a few seconds.
• As students win cards, refill the holes in the word grid with new cards.
• To narrow students’ choices, tell them the row or column in which the word appears.
WHAT SAYS…
ENCODING
Spread letter cards in front of students. Follow the steps below. Focus on r-controlled sounds, but
include previously introduced sounds as well.
1. Dictate a sound.
2. Have a student repeat the sound (listen for correctness).
3. Have the student point to the corresponding letter card.
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Teacher: I will ask you what letter or letters make a certain sound. You will repeat the sound
and point to the letter card that says the sound.
Students: /a/
Students: /or/
Students: /er/
Students: /er/
Students: /er/
Continue dictating sounds, giving students multiple opportunities with r-controlled sounds.
ERROR CORRECTION
If an error is with a sound that has multiple spelling options, such as /er/, say something similar to
the following example: “Yes, ir does makes the /er/ sound, but in hurt, it is spelled ur. What says
/er/ in hurt?” If an error does not involve a sound with multiple spelling options, tell the student
the letter that makes the sound, such as in the following example: “Or says /or/. What says /or/?”
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Lesson Plans Lesson 5 | 87
TIPS
• An alternative method for introducing a sound with multiple spelling options is telling
students something similar to the following example: “There are three ways to spell /er/.
What is one way to spell /er/? What is another way? What is the third way?”
Adapted from Wilson, B. A. (2002). Wilson reading system: Instructor manual. Oxford, MA: Wilson Language Training.
SUPPORTED SPELLING
ENCODING
Give each student a laminated spelling support card with vowel-r teams on it. Dictate a word.
Have students spell the word by writing its initial and final letters with a dry-erase marker on
either side of the correct vowel-r team.
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
or
er
ir
ur
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© 2010 The Meadows Foundation/University of Texas System
I will show you an example, and then we’ll work through one together.
The first word is thorn. The r-controlled sound I hear is /or/, so I write on the or line.
/th/ is the first sound, so I write it at the beginning. The next sound is /or/, which is
already on the card. The last sound is /n/, so I write it at the end.
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
or
er
ir
ur
Vocabulary and Comprehension: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Foundation/University of Texas System
Andre: /h/
Teacher: Correct, so write the letter that says /h/ at the beginning of the word.
ur
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Andre: /ar/, but we don’t write that because it’s already there.
Katie: /sh/
Teacher: Write the letters that say /sh/ at the end of the word.
ERROR CORRECTION
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
If a student makes an error, say the word and have the student repeat it, emphasizing enunciation.
or to guide the student to the correct spelling,
Notice the location of the error and use questioning
such as in the following example: “The word is thorn.
er Do you hear a digraph?” For an error with
a sound with multiple spelling options, such as /er/, say something similar to the following
ir
example: “Yes, ir does makes the /er/ sound, but in hurt, it is spelled ur. Please make the correction
on your card.” ur
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
Adapted from Florida Center for Reading Research. (2007). 2-3 student center activities: Phonics. Retrieved from http://
www.fcrr.org/scasearch/PDFs/2-3P_017.pdf
WORD DOMINOES
DECODING
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© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
church
snort
stork
birch
spur
burn
90 | Lesson 5 Lesson Plans
1. Deal each student six “dominoes,” each with two words on it. Place a starter domino faceup
term
farm
yarn
fort
stir
sir
on the table and the remaining dominoes facedown in a pile.
thirst
spark
smirk
worn
whirl
turn
squirt
torch
clerk
verb
turf
arm
2. The first player says the words on the starter domino and checks his or her dominoes for a
word with the same r-controlled sound.
3. If the student has a domino with the same r-controlled sound, he or she connects it to the
start
thorn
burnt
perch
port
girl
4. If the student does not have any words that connect, he or she takes one from the pile. It
is then the next student’s turn.
scorch
shark
term
third
form
corn
Teacher: Let’s play Word Dominoes, which is similar to regular dominoes. A domino is a
card with two words on it. I’ll deal six dominoes to each of you, and I’ll put the
sport
start
shirt
hard
firm
bar
starter domino on the table. When it is your turn, take a domino from your hand
with the same r-controlled sound as a domino on the table. You say both words
WORD DOMINOES as you connect the dominoes. That is the only way to earn points: You must say
the words. If you don’t have a match, draw a domino from the pile. Then, the
next person has a turn. We’ll talk ourselves through this first domino to make sure
everyone understands how the game works, and then you can play on your own.
[Distribute the dominoes and place the starter domino on the table.]
Teacher: Think about the r-controlled sound in those words. Each of you read the words on
your dominoes to see whether any of them match the r-controlled sound. What
r-controlled sound is in turn, and how is it spelled, Andre?
Teacher: That’s right. We know that /er/ can be spelled other ways, too. Remember that you
are matching the sound, not the way it’s spelled.
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Lesson Plans Lesson 5 | 91
Katie: /or/
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
Teacher: Andre, because it’s your turn to play a domino, do you have a domino with a
smart
harsh
card
bird
art
matching r-controlled sound?
irk
bar fir dart north scorn swirl
Andre: I think so. I have a domino that has girl and part. Girl has the same sound as turn,
so I can connect them
church
WORD DOMINOES
snort
stork
birch
spur
burn
storm fern torn horn curl fur
[Andre connects the dominoes.]
term
farm
yarn
fort
stir
sir
spark
smirk
worn
whirl
turn
clerk
Teacher: Nice job. Remember to say the words as you connect them.
verb
turf
arm
perch
Continue the game until one student depletes his or her stock of dominoes.
girl
term
third
form
corn
WORD WEBS
ENCODING
sport
start
shirt
hard
firm
bar
Have students complete a word web for a specific r-controlled sound. First, write an r-controlled
sound in the middle bubble. Then, have students complete the web by writing a word in each
WORD DOMINOES
of the five smaller bubbles that include that sound. When the webs are complete, have students
read the words to a partner.
Teacher: Let’s complete a word web for r-controlled sounds. The middle bubble shows your
r-controlled sound. The smaller bubbles around the page are blank. Write a word in
each small bubble that contains your r-controlled sound. For example, my sound is
/ar/. Marsh has /ar/, so I write marsh in one of the small bubbles.
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92 | Lesson 5 Lesson Plans
Now, it is your turn. Look at the r-controlled sound on your word web sheet. Think
of five words with that sound and write the words in the smaller bubbles. When
you are done, read the words to your partner.
ADAPTATION
After students read their words to a partner, have students exchange word webs and read another
student’s words.
MONITOR LEARNING
Listen carefully for accurate reading of r-controlled sounds while also checking on previously
taught sounds and concepts. Check written work to gauge students’ understanding of vowel-r
teams as representations of specific r-controlled sounds.
GENERALIZATION
Remind students of the prevalence of r-controlled syllables in language. Tell students to look for
words with vowel-r teams while reading in their classes. Tell student that understanding how the r
controls the vowel sound makes reading those words easier.
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
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Lesson Plans Lesson 5 | 93
ar ar ar ar
charm
barn
burn
er er er er
ir ir ir ir
or or or or
birth
cart
ur ur ur ur
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
ar
or
er
ir
ur
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin © 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
First of 3 pages:
All vowel-r combinations included
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
94 | Lesson 5 Lesson Plans
sport
start
shirt
hard
firm
bar
scorch
shark
term
third
form
corn
start
thorn
burnt
perch
port
girl
squirt
torch
clerk
verb
turf
arm
thirst
spark
smirk
worn
whirl
turn
term
farm
yarn
fort
stir
sir
church
snort
stork
birch
spur
burn
smart
harsh
card
bird
art
irk
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin © 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
First of 3 pages:
Blank dominoes included
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
LESSON 5
R-CONTROLLED SYLLABLES
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
LETTER CARDS
R-CONTROLLED VOWELS
ar ar ar ar
er er er er
ir ir ir ir
or or or or
ur ur ur ur
ark barn
birth burn
cart charm
chart cord
curl far
farm fern
first fork
hard horn
lord march
marsh nor
north perch
scarf shirt
spark spur
start stir
storm surf
tar term
third thirst
verb worn
WORD SORT
R-CONTROLLED SYLLABLE CATEGORY CARDS
ar
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or
Vocabulary and Comprehension: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Foundation/University of Texas System
er
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
ir
Vocabulary and Comprehension: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Foundation/University of Texas System
ur
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
or
er
ir
ur
Vocabulary and Comprehension: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Foundation/University of Texas System
SPELLING SUPPORT
ar
or
er
ir
ur
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
WORD DOMINOES
sport
start
shirt
hard
firm
bar
scorch
shark
term
third
form
corn
start
thorn
burnt
perch
port
girl
squirt
torch
clerk
verb
turf
arm
thirst
spark
smirk
worn
whirl
turn
term
farm
yarn
fort
stir
sir
church
snort
stork
birch
spur
burn
smart
harsh
card
bird
art
irk
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
WORD DOMINOES
swirl
curb
park
pork
surf
fur
scorn
snarl
part
tart
curl
girl
north
burst
stern
horn
curb
fork
skirt
form
dart
torn
bark
lurk
thorn
part
born
fern
jerk
fir
smart
storm
harp
harp
horn
bar
clerk
burp
cart
cork
her
sir
march
dorm
first
arch
blur
lark
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
WORD DOMINOES
charm
sworn
chart
chart
bark
for
smart
chirp
third
hurt
car
jar
porch
scarf
turn
pork
stir
jar
burst
cord
sort
fork
nor
art
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin
WORD WEBS
Word Recognition and Fluency: Effective Upper-Elementary Interventions for Students With Reading Difficulties
© 2010 The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, the University of Texas at Austin