What does the term 'open syllable' refer to?

The term 'open syllable' refers to a syllable that ends with a vowel. In phonetics and language education, an open syllable is characterized by the absence of a consonant at the end. This structure allows the vowel sound within the syllable to be typically pronounced as a long vowel sound. For instance, in the word "me," the syllable is open because it concludes with the vowel 'e.' Understanding open syllables is crucial in multi-sensory structured language education as it aids in teaching students how to decode and pronounce words accurately, enhancing their literacy skills.