Rabbit words are VCCV words made up of two closed syllables. In Orton-Gillingham, students learn to divide between the two consonants to break larger words into smaller, more manageable parts for reading and spelling.

Rabbit words are often the first syllable division pattern students learn because both vowels stay short and predictable.

Syllable division helps students read multi-syllabic words more easily, spell with greater accuracy, and recognize familiar word patterns for easier recall.

Step 1: Underline the vowels or vowel sounds
Step 2: Code the word, VCCV, starting with the first vowel
Step 3: Divide the word based on the rules of the syllable division pattern
Step 4: Label each syllable based on REVLOC, in RABBIT Words there will be two closed syllables
Step 5: Read the syllables slowly, read the whole word

After the students divide and read, they can also practice writing the word.

Examples of Dividing RABBIT Words

List of Rabbit Words + Nonsense C/C Words

Rabbit Words	Nonsense Words
rabbit	tommen
napkin	pattos
button	simpin
puppet	pandad
dentist	vatmox
traffic	comden
contest	binrob
index	exlim
subject	stitkin
ribbon	binrab

Teaching Tips + Activities for Rabbit Words

This is also a time we can begin talking about accenting to students. We can illustrate what accenting is by asking questions, like is it nap’ kin, or nap kin’. We can say, is the word mag’ net or mag net’.

If a student doesn’t pick this up right away, it’s okay. Accenting isn’t something to hold up a lesson, but it’s something to talk about.

Be sure to dictate words in addition to having students divide and read. They should get used to hearing the pattern as well as seeing the pattern, and they should get used to hearing the pattern and writing the syllables as they are heard, then reading the word out loud as they wrote it.

If a student writes the word incorrectly, the question is, what did you hear when I said the word?

Another tip, we want to use non-sense words for division as well as dictation. This ensures they understand the division rules.

Activities for VCCV RABBIT Words

Activity #1

The first activity I like to do is just have cards from my scope and sequence workbook. I go through a lesson of just talking about the syllable type.

Read the syllable and have students spell the syllable so you know they can hear each sound.

I like to put syllable cards next to one another and have them read each syllable slowly, then read them faster. It’s okay if it is a non-sense word with the two syllables put together, but it’s also great if the two syllables make a word.

Activity #2

Have students start with RABBIT Words doing worksheets. Underline the vowels, and divide between the consonants, then have them label each syllable with a C over each syllable to indicate a closed syllable.

The student should know from learning about closed syllables that the vowel is short. Have the student read the first syllable and the second syllable then the word as a whole. Be sure you are interactive with this. They need to read the words out loud and write them. Dictation is important here.

Activity #3

Use nonsense words. To make sure students are grasping the concept, use nonsense words. Treat them the same as real words in the dividing and reading of the words.

Activity #4

Practice, practice, practice dividing words. This not only gives students the tools for dividing, but it also helps them be familiar with these words in groups. Groups of words register as patterns in the brain and make it easier to retain these words for spelling and writing from memory. Dictation is also important here as well to make sure students are hearing the syllables, hearing the patters, and hearing the word as a whole. We want them to hear it, see it, and write it, all the time.

Activity #5

Have students read passages with RABBIT words incorporated into the story. You can pre-underline the words in the passage at first so students know they are reading a RABBIT word. They can break down the words into syllables while reading. Have them read the same story without the words underlined and see if they can point out the words.

This VCCV Rabbit Packet has all of these activities and more.