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Table of Contents
Definition
We break syllables down into two pieces:
- onset- part of the syllable that comes before the vowel
- rime- includes the vowel and everything after it.
Examples
<html> <table> <thead>
<tr> <th></th> <th>Word</th> <th>Onset</th> <th>Rime<br></th> </tr>
</thead> <tbody>
<tr> <td>1</td> <td>A<br></td> <td>-<br></td> <td>A</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Me</td> <td>M<br></td> <td>e</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>men</td> <td>m</td> <td>en</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>thought<br></td> <td>th<br></td> <td>ought</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>bring<br></td> <td>br</td> <td>ing</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table> </html>
In the classroom
In Elementary school we focus on 37 “word families.” or phonograms. We use phonograms to spell rimes. These 37 phonograms can spell 500 words used in elementary school (Wylie & Dureel, 1970)
- Ack-black, black, rack, sack
- Ail- bail, mail, rail, sail
- Ain-brain, chain, train, pain
- Ake-bake, cake, sake
- Ale-ale, bale, kale, whale
- Ame-blame, came, fame, flame
- An-ban, can, fan, man, van
- Ank-bank, blank, tank
etc
You can use word families for fun game and activities in the classroom. You can find unlimited bad stories written explicitly for the phonogram to read with students. You can read Dr. Suess.
Make up your own word family stories with students or write poetry together during writing lessons.
Get picture cards and play memory where students have to match two pictures whose endings sound the same.
Use lessons in scat and jazz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHcnoQUx_4w