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1 Word Study Syllable Segmentation 4

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 Word Study
Lexia Lessons® LEVEL 1: PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
Syllable Segmentation

PREPARE
CONCEPT Syllables are words or parts of TEACHER TIPS
words with one vowel sound. Spoken words are •C
 reate a student folder with delivered lessons
Primary Standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.2b - Count, pronounce, blend, and

made up of one or more syllables. If a word has for easy review of the Anchor Chart and/or
more than one syllable, it can be segmented extra practice as necessary.
or divided into separate syllables. A syllable is
•D
 iscuss any unfamiliar words that appear in
sometimes called a beat, and students can learn
the lesson as needed.
to identify the beats in words by thinking about
how many times their jaw drops. Segmenting • All word lists are interchangeable.
words into syllables helps students read and
spell long words with greater ease. •F
 eeling the movement of their jaw when
pronouncing words and moving tokens down
MATERIALS while saying the syllables can help students
segment syllables in spoken words.

• Set of four tokens such as coins or paper clips identify syllables in words.
Supporting Standards: RF.K.2

• Small hand-held mirror or a phone in selfie •N

 ote that this is a phonological awareness
mode lesson, which means images represent spoken
words, so there is no accompanying text (e.g.,
images on the Anchor Chart are intentionally
featured without a label).

INSTRUCT
ANCHOR CHART [Display Reproducible page 1.]
For this section, students will need a mirror or a phone in selfie mode.
• Refer to the Anchor Chart to review the concept of segmenting words into syllables.
• Explain that some words have only one vowel sound, which means they have only one syllable
or beat, while some words have two or more syllables or beats.
• Point to the picture of a cliff and say: In the word cliff, there is only one vowel sound, /ĭ/, cliff.
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• Point to the pictured rectangular token.

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o Say: Each token stands for one syllable or beat. Watch as I put my hand on my jaw. Cliff. I
feel it go down one time. Cliff. 1 beat, 1 syllable.
o Have students repeat the word, cliff, and look at their jaw movement in the mirror or
phone. (If a mirror or phone is not available, students can touch their chin to feel the
movement.)
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o They should notice that their jaw drops only once (1 beat, 1 syllable). (Note: For some
students, you will need to model the number of syllables. Have them repeat the word in
syllables after you. Tapping the desktop with their fist for each beat can also be helpful.
Cliff: one beat, one syllable.)
• Point to the mountain and have students decide how many times their jaw drops.
o Say: How many syllables does the word mountain have? (2) Have students say each
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syllable (moun/tain) as they look in the mirror or touch their jaw and then tap the
pictured tokens to show the separate syllables as they repeat the word. Model as
necessary.

continued on next page

Lesson page 1
 Lexia Lessons® Word Study
Level 1: Phonological Awareness
Syllable Segmentation

• Repeat the procedure with the word volcano.

• Sum up: Listening for beats and feeling your jaw drop help you break words into syllables.
This can help you read and spell more easily.
Primary Standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.2b - Count, pronounce, blend, and

PRACTICE
[Display Reproducible page 2, Segmenting Words into Syllables 1 (scaffolded), Part A.]
For this section, students will need a set of four tokens such as coins or paper clips.
These words will contain two to four sounds.

• Read the directions with students. Students place tokens above the line. Read the first word in
Set 1 (cartoon; car/toon; The cartoon was funny.) and demonstrate how to move tokens from
above the line into the boxes, while saying the syllables.
segment syllables in spoken words.

• Repeat with the rest of the words in Set 1, using each in a sentence. (The other set can be
Supporting Standards: RF.K.2

used as necessary to solidify the concept.)

• Students repeat each word and say each syllable as they move a token into a box. After they
have segmented the word, they should repeat the word as a whole. Prompt students to go
from left to right.
• If students struggle, model touching your jaw to feel it drop or tapping your fist on the
desktop so the beat becomes more distinct.

Set 1: cartoon (2: car/toon), home (1), Set 2: split (1), garden (2: gar/den),
calendar (3: cal/en/dar), doctor (2: contradict (3: con/tra/dict), collapse (2:
doc/tor), contribute (3: con/trib/ute) col/lapse), substitute (3: sub/sti/tute)

[Display Reproducible page 2, Segmenting Words into Syllables 2 (partially scaffolded), Part B.]
• Read the directions with students. Students place tokens in a line above the dotted line.
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• Dictate a set of words, using each word in a sentence. (The other set can be used as necessary
This material is a component of Lexia Reading® www.lexialearning.com

to solidify the concept.)

• Students repeat the word and say each syllable as they move a token down to the dotted line.
Prompt students to go from left to right.
• If students struggle, model touching your jaw to feel it drop or tapping your fist on the
© 2024 Lexia, a Cambium Learning Group company

desktop so the beat becomes more distinct.

• Students write the number of syllables on the blank lines.

Set 1: re/spect (2), en/er/gy (3), stand Set 2: hol/i/day (3), swift (1), win/ter
(1), pa/per (2), mu/si/cal (3) (2), to/mor/row (3), ti/ger (2)
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Note: There is no Answer Key for this lesson. Answers are embedded in the sections above.

Lesson page 2
 Lexia Lessons® Word Study
Level 1: Phonological Awareness
Syllable Segmentation

ANCHOR CHART
Segmenting Words
into Syllables
Primary Standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.2b - Count, pronounce, blend, and

Words with more than one syllable can be segmented

or divided. Each syllable has only one vowel sound and
is like a beat. For each beat, your jaw drops.
segment syllables in spoken words.

1 beat
Supporting Standards: RF.K.2

1 syllable

2 beats
2 syllables
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3 beats
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3 syllables
© 2024 Lexia, a Cambium Learning Group company

Listening for the

beats and feeling your
jaw drop help you break
words into syllables.
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© 2022 Lexia Learning LLC, a Cambium Learning® Group company. Reproducible page 1
 Lexia Lessons® Word Study
Level 1: Phonological Awareness
Syllable Segmentation

PRACTICE
Segmenting Words into Syllables 1
A. P
 lace four tokens above the line. Repeat the word pronounced by your teacher. Say each syllable in the
word as you move one token into a box. Be sure to go from left to right. These words will have one to three
Primary Standard: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.2b - Count, pronounce, blend, and

syllables. After you finish, say the word as a whole.

segment syllables in spoken words.
Supporting Standards: RF.K.2

Segmenting Words into Syllables 2

B. P
 lace four tokens in a line above the dotted line. Repeat the word pronounced by your teacher and
move one token down to the dotted line for each syllable in the word. Write the number of syllables
in the blank. These words may have as many as three syllables.
Reproduction rights for Family Literacy Centers, Inc. for use until July 7, 2025.

This material is a component of Lexia Reading® www.lexialearning.com

Set 1: 1.________ 2.________ 3.________ 4.________ 5.________

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Set 2: 1.________ 2.________ 3.________ 4.________ 5.________

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Reproducible page 2