Together in Literacy

5.17 Syllable Types: Helpful Tools or Harmful Crutch?


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You may have heard conflicting messages in the literacy space about whether you should be teaching syllable types—this episode is all about helping you sort it out. We unpack the controversy around syllable type instruction and ground the conversation in research, Orton-Gillingham principles, and real work with students who have dyslexia. We explore where syllable types genuinely support decoding, spelling, and morphology, and where instruction can go wrong or become more of a labeling exercise than a useful tool. We dig into the key questions: for which students? In what context? And how is the instruction actually being implemented? Most importantly, you’ll hear how to make thoughtful decisions about instruction so you can better meet the needs of the students sitting in front of you every day. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

  • 5.11 Rethinking Phonemic Awareness with David Kilpatrick, PhD
  • 5.6 The Structured Literacy Playbook with Dr. Melissa Orkin and Sarah Gannon (Part 1) (Part 2)
  • Graphosyllabic analysis helps adolescent struggling readers read and spell words by Linnea C Ehri, Alpana Bhattacharya 
  • International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and the Structured Literacy infographic
  • What Works Clearinghouse
  • Orton-Gillingham approach 
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    Have a question you’d like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at [email protected]!

    If you’d like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

    For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest.

    For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom

    Let us know what you want to hear this season!

    Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

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    Together in LiteracyBy Emily Gibbons & Casey Harrison

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