R-Controlled Syllables

An r-controlled syllable contains at least one vowel followed by an ‘r’. The ‘r’ changes the vowel sound. For example, in the word ‘car’, the ‘a’ is modified to make an /ar/ sound.

When you see a vowel followed by an ‘r’, they usually stay together in the same syllable.

Teaching Tips

• Build off what readers already know – they already know how to divide words with an open or closed syllable.
• Begin with words like 'acorn' or ‘report’ - allow students to apply what they already know about dividing words with open first syllables.

• Move onto words like ‘carpet’ or 'target' - this will also allow students to apply what they know about closed syllables.

• Then move onto words with r-controlled vowels in the first AND second syllables e.g. 'burger' or 'corner'

Word of caution - a note about words with ‘er’ at the end.

Sometimes these are words with an ‘er’ suffix. So instead of dividing the words between the two consonants, we want to encourage students to divide them based on their meaning.

Farm-er (base word and suffix)

Surf-er (base word and suffix)

Teachers want to be careful about choosing these words so as not to confuse students.