The Six Syllable Types or The Missing Piece in Reading and Spelling Instruction

When people talk about patterns they often think of colors. Red, blue, red, blue, etc. Maybe red-blue-green, red-blue-green. Maybe they think of numbers, 1, 2, 1, 2, or geometric designs. But how often do they think about words? Words have patterns, too. In fact, understanding the six simple spelling patterns of the English language can make a huge difference in a person’s ability to read and spell. This seems to be the best-kept secret in literacy education. Why? Let’s use it! And, let’s have some fun with it. I’ll share some ideas that you can use to teach these patterns, as well as how the Six Syllable Types poster on this website depicts each pattern and can help keep track of each type as it is learned.