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 Spelling 1.Precommunicative spelling (3-5) o Scribbles and letter like forms o Spaces develop between ideas o Left to right 2.Semi-phonetic spelling (5-6) o Knows letters represent sounds o Reasonable phonetic representations (a letter for a word) 3.Phonetic spelling (begins at 6) o Essential sounds represented o 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.