Bernadette Erwin
Overview
What is spelling?
Spelling is a major component of language acquisition. While phonics is the sounds of English, spelling focuses on the written word (Temple et al., 2005). Sometimes, a single letter may constitute many different sounds. Therefore, spelling and pronunciation do not always correspond (Mersand, Griffith, & Griffith, 1996). Emergent spellers learn through invented spelling. Students goes through different stages as they experiment with words.
Stages of Spelling Development
Many children will go through these stages as they explore invented spelling as their spelling skills develop:
The pre-phonemic stage is when children write with unconnected letters. Even though the writing has no meaning, the children have engaged in pre-phonetic spelling.
When children have reached the early phonetic stage of spelling, they use letters to represent some sounds in words. Children who have reached this stage have discovered the alphabetic principle, which is the concept that spelling represents letters to spoken phonemes.
At the letter name stage, the children are able to match written letters to the appropriate sounds, but occasionally diverts from conventional English spelling.
Children who are spellers in the transitional stage are becoming aware of most spelling sounds since they are now beginning readers.
When children reach the conventional stage, they are using mostly correct spelling when they write.
Many children will go through these stages as they explore invented spelling as their spelling skills develop.
Classroom Practices
In kindergarten, most children are becoming aware of the alphabet and how there is a sound that accompanies each letter. Most children can learn about letter sounds through word sorts and picture cards. One such activity includes matching the pictures to a chosen letter. For example, I have chosen the letters, “h” and “w.” I have given the children a set of pictures. Each of these pictures begins with either the letter “h” or “w.” The children have a sheet that has two columns marked “h” and “w.” The children will match the picture to the correct letter. The children are shown a picture of a hat; therefore that picture is placed under the appropriate column, “h.”
Other classroom practices include stretching the words or saying the words slowly so that the students can hear the sounds. This will help them understand that there is a link between the letters and sounds in a word. For students who are English language learners, this practice is beneficial in the sense that it would help them with their writing.
Family Activities
Families have various tools to help students build their competency in spelling. Families can start by encouraging a love of reading in their children. By seeing words printed on a page, they can develop an interest in learning new words. This interest translates to learning about how these are created. They will learn about syllables and how they build up words, basic spelling patterns, and word meanings.
Encouraging children to try new words is another way to build spelling proficiency. As you read a book together with your child, look at some of the words closely. Talk to your child and ask him what some of the parts of these words are. Why do some words sound a certain way?
Other strategies to try include encouraging children to use a dictionary as early as possible. With this strategy, whenever a child has a problem trying find out the proper spelling of a word, the dictionary can be used as a tool to find the correct spelling of a word.
Students can learn spelling through word and picture sorts. Family members can read through the pictures with the child, and the child can read aloud the names of the pictures. English language learners can be involved in this activity by having these word and picture sorts done in their native language. The purpose of saying these words together encourages child cooperation and as the pictures can extend children’s vocabulary as they learn new terms.
Songs and finger plays are another way of introducing emergent spellers to vowel and consonant sounds.
Families can make spelling fun for their child. Games such as Scrabble are easy, fun, and simple ways to build up spelling proficiency for children. Other word games, such as Boggle, are very useful activities to develop spelling competency.
Regular visits to the library can not only build a child’s literacy and spelling competency, but it also encourages a love for reading in children.
Resources
Some helpful websites
Fun Brain. Accessed on November 19, 2006 from http://www.funbrain.com
This website has something for everyone! This site has various instructional ideas and fun games for the class to play. There is a kid’s page that has fun games in every subject such as Math, Reading, and Spelling. The games Spellaroo and Spell Check are fun and helpful games that are geared towards building spelling competency.
Wizards Spell. Accessed on November 19, 2006 from http://www.wizardsspell.com
This website’s mission is “teaching the world to spell….one word at a time.” This web-based practice program achieves just that with homework lists and a fun and interactive student demo that has an interactive spelling lesson. There are also links for teachers and parents as well.
Primary games. Accessed on November 20, 2006 from http://www.primarygames.com/see-n-spell/see-n-spell.htm
This is the place for fun educational games for your child to learn and play! The game See-n-Spell is a great way for your child to learn about long and short vowels, blends, and plural. Learning about spelling has never been this easy!!
Gamequarium. Accessed on November 19, 2006 from http://www.gamequarium.com/spelling.html
This site is the place to be for games that will help you learn and have fun at the same time! This site has loads of games in every subject which could be accessed with a special link. The spelling links has games where you could practice your own spelling words or play spelling games such as Spelling Match and Spin and Spell. Your child can learn about spelling while having fun at the same time.
NIEHS Kids Pages. Accessed on November 19, 2006 from http://niehs.nih.gov/kids/spell.htm
This website is part of the National Institute of Health Sciences. This site includes a kid friendly science themed spelling game which has students try to guess the missing vowel. Scrambled word games and a games and surprises page will provide hours of interactive enjoyment for your child.
Some helpful books
Arcuri, K. (2003). Weekly word sorts that build spelling skills. Publisher: Teaching Resources
These word sorts are a perfect way to introduce young children to the concept of letter sounds and spelling. These activities can be used by teachers and parents who are hoping to help their child increase their spelling knowledge.
Bochan, T. L. (1999). Parent primer: Spelling. New York: Scholastic.
This handy guide will help parents guide their child’s way to spelling success. This book is full of basic spelling rules to live by and spelling terms to know about. Your child will be on the road to spelling success in no time at all!
Kellaher, K. (2003) Spelling secrets! New York: Scholastic.
This book is loaded with fun activities and helpful tips and strategies to help your child master hundreds of difficult to spell words.
Salzburg, B. (1997). Phoebe and the spelling bee. New York: Hyperion.
Phoebe is terrified of spelling and tries to get out of not studying for the weekly spelling bee. But after lying to her friend about her reasons why she did not study, she feels guilty and decides to study hard. Will her special ways of remembering the words lead her victory?
Wilbur, R., & Diaz, D. (1998). The disappearing alphabet. New York: Scholastic.
Pulitzer Prize winning poet Richard Wilbur has written an alphabet poem that asks the question: What happens when the letters of the alphabet start to disappear? The illustrations of David Diaz complement this light-hearted look on language and the importance of letter recognition.
References
Griffith, F, Griffith, K. O., & Mersand, J. (1996). Spelling the easy way. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
Temple, C., Ogle, D., Crawford, A., & Freppon, P. (2005). All children read: Teaching for literacy in today’s classroom. NY: Allyn & Bacon.