What are syllables and why are they important?

Syllables are the building blocks of words 

A syllable is part of a word, every syllable has a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) and all words are made up of one or more syllables. 

Long or unfamiliar words can be broken down into syllables which are easier to read and spell. 

Knowing how to break up a word (segmenting) into syllables is useful because:  

It can support reading skills. 

It can help to pronounce new and unfamiliar words. 

It can help with spelling new words as breaking down into smaller chunks make the patterns easier to remember. 

Those learners who are able segment and blend syllables at the early stages of reading and spelling generally progress more easily and it helps with future fluency and accuracy. 

Look at the sub-sections on the right for lots of fun activities that involve syllables.