Reading and spelling words with consonant le can be a tricky skill to master! Fortunately, once students have learned closed syllables and blends and have some knowledge of open syllables and silent e, you can introduce the Count Back 3 Strategy.
Although basic syllable division rules apply to consonant le words, the Count Back 3 strategy is fun and easy to use and it usually breaks the word into syllables correctly. Another benefit is that this strategy can be easily implemented when a child attempts to decode a word in a book: the child can cover part of the word with their thumb. (This will make sense soon!)
Where do I begin?
Before teaching the strategy, you’ll want to introduce your students to the consonant le syllable type. You might be surprised to find out that the e in consonant le is a form of silent e. Silent e has several jobs, and one of them is to be at the end of consonant le words because every syllable needs a written vowel. You’ll want your students to know this. When your students recognize the final e as a variation of silent e, it helps them recall that the e goes at the end of the word. For example, they’d write sample instead of sampel. And do you have students who pronounce that e at the end, like pronouncing crumble as crumbly? Once they recognize it as a form of silent e, they will break that habit because they understand what the e’s function is!
Introduce your students to the consonant le endings: -ble, -cle, -dle, -fle, -gle, -ple, -tle, -zle. The sounds of the consonant le endings are easy to learn because they sound just like the consonant blends that you have already taught to your students. If you do a daily sound drill with your students, you can give directives like this: “How do we spell /bl/ at the beginning of a word?” (Students say and write bl.) “How do we spell /bl/ at the end of a word?” (Students say and write –ble.) The endings -dle, -tle, and –zle might feel less familiar because there is no equivalent beginning blend, but students typically learn them just as easily.
“Count Back 3” Strategy for Decoding (Reading)
Okay, so how is it done? The first thing students need to do is notice that there is a consonant, an l, and an e at the end of the word. Noticing that there is a consonant le ending is their cue to apply the Count Back 3 strategy:
- Beginning with the final letter, count back three letters. Students can put a dot under each letter or write the numbers.
- Draw a line to divide the word between the first syllable and the consonant -le ending. If students cannot write on the text, they can cover the consonant le ending with their thumb (see image below).
- Look at the first syllable to see if the vowel is open or closed. Remember that a single vowel will represent its long sound when it is at the end of an open syllable. It will represent the short sound when it is closed in by a consonant.
- Decode each syllable and then blend them into the word.
“Count Back 3” Strategy for Encoding (Spelling)
Spelling words with consonant le is a bit trickier than reading them! Until students have orthographically mapped these words to spell them with automaticity, they’ll need to use the Count Back 3 strategy to check their spelling. The main decision students must make is whether or not to double the consonant to “close in” the first syllable and make the vowel short, or to leave the first syllable open with a long vowel sound.
- Orally segment the word into syllables. Beginning with the first syllable, tap out each sound and write the corresponding letters. Do the same for the second syllable. Don’t forget the silent e!
- Check your spelling by using the Count Back 3 strategy. Beginning with the final letter, count back three letters. Students can put a dot under each letter, write the numbers, or cover the final three letters with a finger.
- Draw a line or use your finger to divide the word between the first syllable and the consonant le ending.
- Look at the first syllable to determine if the vowel is representing the sound it should. Remember that a single vowel will represent its long sound when it is at the end of an open syllable. It will represent its short sound when it is closed in by a consonant. If the vowel is open & long but you want it to be short, double the consonant from the consonant -le ending.
What does the spelling strategy look like in action?
The student sounds out the word paddle. The first syllable sounds like pad and the second syllable sounds like /l/. They write each corresponding sound and remember to add silent e to the final syllable: padle. Next, they check their spelling using the Count Back 3 strategy. Their first attempt says pā-dle. This is their cue to double the d. This closes in the first syllable. Now the word is divided as păd-dle and the sounds are represented correctly.
An exception:
Doubling the consonant does not work in all words! In words that end with –cle or –kle, we cannot double a c or a k. Instead, we use ck, as in pickle, buckle, and crackle.
Do you need materials to teach the Count Back 3 Strategy?
I’ve got you covered! I like to think of silent e as a ninja, no matter which job it is doing because it is silent and sneaky. In the consonant le phonics unit, silent e sneaks on to the end of each word because it knows that each syllable needs a written vowel. The ninja hand puppets are optional but they will capture your students’ attention and make for a memorable lesson!
The unit comes with everything you need to know to teach your students to read and spell words with consonant le syllables. You already learned the Count Back 3 Strategy in this post, but the unit will also teach you all the jobs of silent e, additional information about the consonant le syllable type, and what a final stable syllable is.
The best part is all of the student materials! Ten activities and worksheets offer ample practice for applying the Count Back 3 strategy in isolation and in context:
- Activity 1: Introduce the consonant le syllable type and the Count Back 3 strategy to your students with a slide deck.
- Activity 2: Various introductory activities with consonant -le ending cards
- Activity 3: Complete an introductory worksheet with the ninja puppets.
- Activity 4: Practice reading consonant le words in isolation using the Count Back 3 strategy.
- Activity 5: Phoneme/grapheme mapping of high-frequency words with consonant le endings
- Activity 6: Practice reading consonant le words in the context of a sentence
- Activity 7: Practice spelling words with consonant le using the Count Back 3 strategy
- Activity 8: Read consonant le words in context and identify the correct spelling from 2 choices
- Activity 9: Practice checking the spelling of consonant le words in context by using the Count Back 3 strategy
- Activity 10: Sentence dictation practice
Ready to help your students unlock the mystery of reading and spelling words with consonant le?
By understanding the role of the e in consonant le syllables and how to use the Count Back 3 strategy, you and your students can read and spell these words with confidence and precision.
