What part of a word does the term "rime" refer to?

The term "rime" refers specifically to the vowel and all the sounds that follow it within a syllable. Understanding rime is crucial in literacy development as it helps young learners with phonemic awareness, allowing them to recognize patterns in words and aids in activities like rhyme recognition and spelling. For example, in the word "cat," the rime would be "at." By focusing on the rime, educators can help children decode words and build their reading skills by connecting similar sounds in different words. This is especially important in early literacy, where establishing strong phonological awareness sets the foundation for reading proficiency.