Big Words Bootcamp: A Multisyllabic Mission

Are you looking for ways to make teaching syllable division strategies more engaging for your students? Look no further than Big Words Bootcamp!

Last year, I decided to try something new with my reading intervention students and they absolutely LOVED it! Today, I'm going to be sharing how I pulled it off and how YOU can too!

First, make sure you've explicitly taught the following things BEFORE starting the bootcamp (these skills will so be reviewed in this resource):

• 6 types of syllables
• Syllable division rules (VCCV, VCCCV, VCV, C+Le, VV)
• Basic prefixes and suffixes 
  
  

Once your students have a basic understanding of these concepts, explain that you are inviting them to attend "Big Words Bootcamp" with you! Tell them they'll learn how to deploy an effective strategy for breaking up longer, multisyllabic words. (Bonus points if you get into character and talk like a sergeant!)

I introduced the Big Word Bootcamp on a Friday, and then set up everything over the weekend so it was ready to go the following Monday. Here's a few pictures of how I decorated my classroom to get everyone excited!

(Invitation hung on the wall outside my classroom)


(I used cheap fabric from Walmart to create curtains and tie-backs on my door. I also created a welcome poster with black posterboard and chalk markers!)

(My room set up with the presentation ready to go!)

On the first day of bootcamp, my students were beyond excited and saluted me as they walked into the door🫡 (They really got into character too!)

I used a slide show presentation to teach them the ASK strategy, which is a quick 3-step strategy for breaking up multisyllabic words. ASK stands for the following:

A- Affixes

S- Syllables

K- Kind

Let's talk about each step in depth!

STEP 1: Ask yourself, "Does the word have any AFFIXES (prefixes or suffixes) that I need to box off?

Boxing off affixes helps to "shrink" the word down to its base so it's easier to decode. This will also help students understand the meaning of the word!

STEP 2: Ask yourself, "How many SYLLABLES does the base word have? Mark the vowels and divide.

To determine how many syllables the base word has, students will first mark the vowels and then the consonants in between. Then, they will use the syllable division rules (VCCV, VCCCV, VCV, C+Le, VV) to determine where to split each one.

STEP 3: Ask yourself, "What KIND of syllable is each one?" 

Students will look at one syllable at a time and identify what kind it is. Use the CLOVER image for help! Once all 3 steps are completed, it's time to put the word together!

This strategy has been really effective with students and makes them feel empowered when trying to read those longer, "scary" words! At first, the students rely on their ASK checklists quite a bit, but once they have the hang of it, they're able to decode multisyllabic words in a snap! The 3 questions become engrained and they're able to use the strategy independently, which is the ultimate goal 🙌

If you'd like to run your own "Big Words Bootcamp" (and want to make it a total breeze!), click on the image below to grab your own copy! Trust me, your kids are going to LOVE it!

Wondering what's included?

• Digital Lesson
• Invitation
• Student Practice Pages (5)
• A.S.K. Strategy Poster
• A.S.K. Strategy Bookmark for Students
• Certificate of Completion
  
  

 Click HERE to get your Big Words Bootcamp resources.

Happy Teaching! And.... if you decide to run a Big Words Bootcamp in your classroom, let us know how it goes!