Multisyllabic Words in Speech Therapy (+ FREE Word Lists)
- Stacy Crouse
- 7 minutes ago
- 5 min read
As speech-language pathologists, we can all think of those adorable misarticulations our students say when tackling multisyllabic words. They're the kind of slip-ups that make you smile... and maybe or maybe not correct.
As a parent, I remember several multisyllabic words that were the last speech errors to iron out in my own child. “Flamy” for family and “hinkaburger” for hamburger. I mean, come on. Who wants to correct that level of cuteness?
As endearing as those mispronunciations are, we know that eventually, kids need to master complex word structures to be understood clearly– especially as their vocabularies grow and academic demands increase.
Multisyllabic words show up everywhere—in the classroom, on the playground, and in everyday conversations. When a child struggles to produce them accurately, it can impact their ability to communicate with others as well as their self-confidence.
And all that is why SLPs often target multisyllabic words in speech therapy. Whether you work with students with speech sound disorders, phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, or deficits in phonological awareness skills, multisyllabic words have a place in your therapy room.
WHAT ARE MULTISYLLABIC WORDS?
As you probably know (or would guess), multisyllabic words are just what they sound like– words with more than one syllable. Since every syllable contains only one vowel sound (with or without consonants), multisyllabic words contain two or more vowel sounds.
Words like window (2 syllables), tomorrow (3 syllables), calculator (4 syllables), and unpredictable (5 syllables) are examples of multisyllabic words.
HOW ARE MULTISYLLABIC WORDS USED IN SPEECH THERAPY?
These longer, more complex words serve many purposes when treating speech and language goals. Multisyllabic words may be used in many ways
Increase the difficulty when targeting articulation skills.
Going beyond simple, one-syllable words allows articulation students to practice a sound in various word positions and syllables. This helps build consistency and accuracy, especially when working toward generalization.
Improve speech intelligibility.
Some students are not working on particular speech sounds, but still need help improving speech intelligibility. Multisyllabic words can be used in conjunction with clear speech strategies (such as using a slower rate of speech and producing all the different sounds in each word) to improve speech clarity.
Support phonemic awareness development.
In younger children, multisyllabic words help teach phonemic awareness skills. These skills help a child hear and manipulate the sounds in words, which are important precursors to reading (decoding) and spelling (encoding) success. Syllable awareness skills include...
Syllable segmentation, or breaking apart a word into its syllables (often by clapping or tapping)
Blending, or putting two or more syllables together to form a word
Phoneme manipulation, including deleting, adding, or substituting phonemes in words.
Target motor planning.
For students with motor speech disorders (like childhood apraxia of speech) who often have trouble planning and producing sequences of sounds, multisyllabic words allow them to practice coordinating complex movements and maintaining rhythm and stress in actual words.
Treat phonological impairments.
Multisyllabic targets are also used for students with phonological impairments such as weak syllable deletion (omitting an unstressed syllable in a word) or reduplication (repeating a syllable in a word).
Strengthen vocabulary.
As a bonus for SLPs working with older students, multisyllabic words often include a prefix and/or affix. Therefore, they're great for helping students expand their vocabulary skills by learning what those word beginnings and endings add to the meaning of the root word.
MULTISYLLABIC WORDS TO USE IN SPEECH THERAPY
No matter the speech or language skills you're looking to target with multisyllabic words, it's helpful to have plenty of words ready... so you don't have to try and think of longer words off the top of your head!
Multisyllabic Word Cards
Whether you use them for drill practice or incorporate them into another game or activity, cards with pictures of multisyllabic words are handy to engage younger students who benefit from the picture context.
A digital option makes it even easier to share with virtual or in-person students. This Boom Card bundle includes interactive cards for 3, 4, and 5-syllable words (get it here on Boom Learning). Speech therapists (and their students) love the colorful pictures, clickable "Pop It" style buttons, and optional audio recordings and sentence context.
Multisyllabic Words Visual
If you already have your own multisyllabic words, a simple visual is a nice way to complement them. It can serve as a pacing board or way to identify the syllables in each word by tapping or clapping. A visual and a list of multisyllabic words is a perfect home practice activity, too.
Multisyllabic Word Book
Middle school and high school students may enjoy finding multisyllabic words that relate to them and their interests, such as the names of celebrities or video games. Students can write their words in a notebook to practice in therapy and at home.
This digital word book is another way for students to house the tricky words they identify for practice. The Google Slides file means they can work on it anywhere and even add images from their device or a quick Google Images search.
Multisyllabic Word Wall or Box
Multisyllabic words can also be written on index cards and kept in a box or folder or on a bulletin board or binder ring for repeated use and reminders.
Multisyllabic Word List
For older students, you may just need lists of multisyllabic words that you can use to practice sound production or motor planning. If you need some multisyllabic words (like now 😆) download these free lists that include 3, 4, and 5-syllable words.
👇 Get your free PDF with multisyllabic word lists here! 👇
TIPS FOR USING MULTISYLLABIC WORDS IN SPEECH THERAPY
Once you’ve got your target words, it’s time to bring them to life in your speech therapy sessions! How you practice will depend on your students' learning style and your own therapy approach—whether it’s drill-based, play-based, or somewhere in between. Utilize these practical tips to help make multisyllabic word practice effective and engaging:
Use Visuals.
Visual aids can make abstract concepts like syllables much more tangible. You might model the word slowly with exaggerated mouth movements, use dots or icons to represent each syllable, or display pictures that help students understand that words can be broken into sounds and syllables.
Incorporate Movement.
Kinesthetic learning is your best friend here. Tap, clap, stomp, jump, stack blocks—whatever gets kids actively engaging with the rhythm and structure of words. Movement adds energy to the session and reinforces syllable awareness.
Make It Hands-On.
Try using manipulatives like stepping stones, Legos, or craft supplies. Kids can build something or complete a task with each syllable they say—turning practice into a game or creative activity.
Provide Scaffolding.
Start with simpler, two-syllable words and work your way up to longer, more complex ones as the child gains confidence and accuracy. Gradual progression helps build a strong foundation without overwhelming your student.
Choose Functional, High-Frequency Words.
Target words that are meaningful and relevant to the child’s everyday life. Familiar words like family, banana, or computer are more likely to stick– and more likely to show up outside the therapy room.
No matter the age range or goal areas of your speech therapy caseload, multisyllabic words are probably going to have a place in your treatment. With intentional practice and the right tools at your fingertips, you’ll be set to help your students tackle those big words and make even bigger progress in their speech and language goals.
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