- Spelling Spelling is a necessary skill for fluent writing. Being a good reader does not ensure that the student is a good speller; however, research indicates that if students understand that standard spelling is necessary for communication, they become good spellers. Good spelling instruction not only helps students recognize the need for standard spelling to communicate effectively; it also teaches students to recognize patterns within words. Good teachers do not have students memorize a list of words each week. In order for teachers to be effective spelling teachers, they need background knowledge about
(1) the developmental stages of spelling,
(2) the complexities of English spelling, and
(3) the orthographic patterns of words. Good and poor spellers have a number of traits. Good spellers pay attention to internal details of words, are avid readers, are writers who have found their voice, self-monitor their spelling, and have learned orthographic patterns within words. Poor spellers attempt to learn whole spelling of words, have not found their writing voice, do not recognize their own errors, and do not see patterns within words.
When working with English learners, teachers need to know which strategies are effective for each spelling stage. It is also helpful if teachers understand student’s alphabet because many languages do not have the same 26-letter alphabet that English has.
Since native Spanish speakers are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, teachers should understand the similarities between English and Spanish. Teachers should also be aware of cognates if they have Spanish-speaking students in their classrooms.
Teachers can assess spelling using standardized tests and informal assessment tools. Standardized tests often require students to recognize a correctly spelled word from a list of four or five words. A number of researchers have developed informal assessment instruments in which teachers observe what the student already knows about spelling.
CAFÉ is one such an informal test. Students are given a sheet of paper with boxes (fewer boxes for younger grades and more boxes for middle school students). They are then asked to write as many words as they know. From the list teachers can determine patterns in the words students misspell.
Teachers can also develop checklists and rubrics based on their state’s standards. Using these various types of informal assessment helps them monitor which students need extra instruction in spelling.
Spelling strategies should focus on working with word patterns and should be taught in tutoring sessions or in small group sessions so that the teacher can observe students as they makes sense of word patterns.
- Ch. 12 PPT Attached Files:
- ch12PPT.pptx (1.757 MB)
- Spelling Inventory Administer the Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, and Johnston spelling inventory to the student with whom you are working. (This is available in Appendix C of the text.) Analyze the results and the differences among students. Be prepared to discuss the findings in class.
- Patterns of English spelling In small groups, discuss the complex patterns of English spelling that is found in Appendix B.10.
- Assessment Gather a collection of elementary and middle school students’ writing. (Be sure students’ names are blacked out.) Choose one of the developmental stages of spelling, as identified by the different researchers discussed in the text, and analyze the students’ writing. Decide the developmental stage of each paper.
- Ch. 12 Quiz