Now it’s time to teach! Here's a research-based approach that we recommend, with examples of language you could use if this is new to you. When teaching onset-rime, we begin by teaching students how to blend, and then we teach how to segment. This sample lesson teaches students solely how to blend onset-rime.
1. Review relevant prerequisite skills with your students.
First, review relevant skills that your students should know prior to learning about onset-rime. Review how to identify syllables in a word (syllable awareness). You can also review other previously taught skills that support the lesson, including how words are made up of speech sounds, segmenting words into syllables, and blending syllables.
2. Introduce them to the concept of onset-rime and define it explicitly.
You might say something like this, “In a one-syllable word, the first sound you hear is called the onset. This is the beginning consonant sound. After the consonant sound comes a vowel sound. The vowel and everything after it is called the rime. Together we call these two parts onset-rime.”
3. Tell your students what they'll be learning.
Next, you might explain, “We’re going to learn how to blend an onset and a rime together to make a word.”
Then, you'll use a gradual release approach — or I Do, We Do, You Do, to teach them the skill.
4. I DO: Model the new skill.
First, tell your children that “it’s my turn” and that it’s their job to watch and listen. Then model how to blend two parts of a word using the strategy Touch and Say.
Place a square-shaped piece of felt and a rectangular-shaped felt on the table side by side with a space between. Remember to place them for “mirror teaching” with the square on the student’s left and the rectangle on their right like in this picture.