Chapter 9: Assessing and Teaching Spelling

SPED 562: LD Methods

Why study spelling?

• Part of the federal def of LD• NRC stated that “Once children learn some

letters, they should be encouraged to write the, to use them to begin writing words or parts of words, and to use words to begin writing sentences” (p.7).

Stages of Spelling1. Precommunicative spelling (3-5)

o Scribbles and letter like formso Spaces develop between ideaso Left to right

2. Semi-phonetic spelling (5-6)o Knows letters represent soundso Reasonable phonetic representations (a letter for a word)

3. Phonetic spelling (begins at 6)o Essential sounds representedo Connected mouth movements to sounds

4. Transitional spelling (7-8)o Conventional alternatives o Combines phonetic features and salient visual features of words

5. Correct spelling (8-9)

Spelling Assessments

• Included in several diagnostic assessments• Measures of such spelling objectives– Short vowel sounds and consonants– Onset and rime– Silent e– Dual vowels– Variant consonants (c, g)– Dipthongs (oi, oy, au, aw, ew, ow, oo, oo, ou)

Spelling Skills

• Conventional spelling requires focused instruction and related practice.

• Once a word or a spelling pattern is taught, then the student should be expected to be accurate.

Inventive Spelling

• Invented spelling is not in conflict with teaching correct spelling (NRC, 1998, p.7).

• Invented spelling can be helpful for understanding phonemes, segmentation of sounds, consonant blends, digraphs, etc.

Techniques

• Multisensory experiences– Premade letters of alternate media– Writing in sand, salt, or shaving cream– Transition concrete experience to paper-pencil

• Mnemonic Rules– Teach one rule per day (maximum)– Use a mnemonic per rule to help

• Self-correcting materials

Questions

• How close should to the developmental stages should we set up spelling curricula?

• How and why… inventive spelling?• Name some alternate spelling instructional

ideas.