menu   home About Me Tips and Tricks My Products Freebies  

Closed Syllables

I'm back to discuss closed syllables!


To view my post outlining each syllable type click here.
To grab my free syllable types posters and syllable guide click here.

This post will explain closed syllables further and showcase some closed syllables activities available in my teacherspayteachers store. To visit my teacherspayteachers store click here.

To grab this poster free click here

Closed syllables have one vowel and the vowel is closed in my one or more consonants. Word that contain digraphs like duck, much, and fish are concerned closed syllables. Words that have ending consonant blends such as last, spring, and blend are also considered closed syllables. VC or VCC wrds such as an, and off are also considered closed syllable words.

I use the visual of a cage to remind my students that the vowel is closed in by a consonant letter. This visual also helps remind students that these are called closed syllables.

This is a visual example of one syllable words that are considered closed syllables.


This is a visual example of two syllable words that contain two closed syllables.

Here is another visual example of how these two syllable words are broken into individual syllables.


When I begin teaching a syllable type I want my students to understand the characteristics that define each syllable type.

I pass out magnifying glasses and encourage my students to be detectives when searching for closed syllables.
This activity is found in my closed syllable pack here

I created this freebie exclusively for my blog readers to practice differentiating between closed syllable words and other syllable types.
Click here to get this closed syllable sort for free! 

In order to reinforce characteristics for closed syllables I have my students complete this sorting activity. Students sort cards into piles of words that contain closed syllables and words that do not.




In addition to making sure my student can identify a closed syllable I want to make sure they can read closed syllable words.

I love matching activities like the one below because it is self checking if my students make a mistake their matches won't line up and they will make sure to go back and find out what went wrong.

I also love QR codes for the same reason! My students are able to self check their work, this builds their independence and my students are engaged by the technology.

I also want to increase my students ability to read and build words that contain multiple syllables. 
In this activity my students choose cards from envelopes and build two syllable words.


This activity allows students to read two syllable words in a game format. Students read words and add toppings to their pizzas as they read words.


I also created an assessment portion of pack which includes reading real and nonsense words.

My closed syllable pack includes 10 activities to practice identifying and decoding closed syllable words. View my pack and read the full description and reviews here.

What is your favorite way to teach closed syllables?