SpeechTX

Phonemic Awareness

Onset and Rime

An onset is the initial sound of a word and the rime is the vowel/consonant (VC) at the end. This technique is used when teaching word families or phonograms.
onset_rime activity
Teaching Strategies
  • Spin and Say Using an All-Turn-it Spinner, customize the overlay with phonemes. Choose a target syllable rime that forms words using the phonemes on the overlay (e.g. at, ook).  The student selects a phoneme by activating the All-Turn-it Spinner. The teacher says the word created and then the student demonstrates comprehension by matching the new word with a picture or object.
  • Variation: Use large foam dice with letters to select the phoneme.
  • Variation: Use two spinners, one for onset and the other for rime. Make words and determine if they are real words or nonsense words.
  • Onset and Rime Wheel Use poster board for the back of pictures and/or phonemes. Use foam core to make a large wheel. Cut a square in the foam core so that when it turns, the picture/phoneme on the poster board will be seen. Place a phonogram on the foam core (e.g. ill, ook) and turn the wheel to make new words. Use the new words to write a story using a one sheet book or make it digital.
  • Cloze for Onset/Rime Make simple rhyming sentences with two lines. When you say the second line, leave off the final rhyming word. The student can add the missing word using a multi-message speech device or the iClick-iTalk software. For example:
    I went for a jog
    and was chased by a ___.