Stages of spelling development words their way

The Stages of Spelling Development

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If you’re new, welcome to This Reading Mama! I’m joining 39 other bloggers with iHomeschool Network as we post for 10 days on various topics.  I am exploring a series called Teaching Spelling Through Word Study.  And if you’re just joining me, you’ve only missed one day. Yesterday, we explored the difference between traditional spelling and word study.  {You can click here or on the image above to view that post.}

Understanding the Stages of Spelling Development

Understanding spelling development is key with word study because, unlike traditional spelling, word study seeks to teach students at their own level of development (also known as their instructional level). And how do we know a child’s level or stage of spelling development? As children progress through different spelling development stages, they naturally exhibit certain characteristics.

Today, I want to identify the spelling stages with examples from each; but I won’t leave you hanging there.  In the next couple of days, we’re going to explore how to identify your child’s stage and what to do with this information.

Stage 1: Emergent Spelling Stage (Let’s Learn Our ABC’s)

At the beginning, they “spell” haphazardly with marks (such as scribbles) all over the paper.  Their drawings and writing are indistinguishable.

MBug (2 years old) is in the beginning stages of Emergent.  While she knows her letters (not sounds, yet), this is how she “writes”.  Sometimes, she’ll even “read” me her writing.  So cute!

As these spellers progress, real letters and numbers may be used, but the speller does not understand that letters represent sounds in words, so house may be spelled A1XT.  They prefer uppercase and do not put space in between words.  And they begin to write from left to right.

Towards the end of this stage, spellers begin to match letters to sounds in words, so a word such as ball may be spelled with just the letter B, or G for alligator.

NJoy (just turned 4) is at the end of the Emergent stage, which can be seen with his spelling of “I love you”. To read more about this stage, you can click here.

Stage 2: Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling Stage (I know my ABC’s)

At the beginning of this stage, spellers match written letters to letter sounds more consistently, but very few vowels are used.  For example, wall might be spelled WLand heart spelled HT.  Space becomes more regular, but still lacking.

As they progress, sometimes vowels are added in the middle of words, so bell may be spelled BAL and boat may be BOT (long vowels are easiest to hear)

Towards the end, spellers begin to spell most short-vowel patterns (CVC) correctly as well as blends and digraphs.  High frequency words are spelled correctly.  Long vowel patterns aren’t in place yet (PLAT for plate)

Here is an example of ALuv in this stage: “I had a bulldozer that went in the sandbox. ” To read more about this stage, click here.

Stage 3: Within Word Pattern Spelling Stage (Looking for Patterns)

In the beginning of this stage, spellers are comfortable spelling short vowel words, blends, and digraphs.

As they progress, they begin to spell r-influenced words correctly (words with ir, er, ur, and or)  They also learn how to spell most one-syllable long vowel words correctly, but will sometimes confuse them (WATE for wait).

Here is one of ALuv’s (currently 7 years old) most recent journal samples.  He is smack dab in the middle of this stage right now.

Towards the end, spellers can spell other kinds of vowel patterns (like the oi in  toil or the ou in  pound).  As a matter of fact, spellers can spell most any regular one-syllable word (words like weight may still confuse them). To read more about this stage, click here.

Stage 4: The Syllables and Affixes Spelling Stage (Add on the Syllables)

• can spell most one-syllable short, long, and ambiguous words correctly; but now it’s time to take what they know and apply it to longer words
• confuse spellings where the syllables meet (such as when to double a letter before adding –ing or –ed)
• tend to misspell unaccented syllables, spelling INVUTATION for invitation or CONFUDINT for confident
• also misspell some prefixes and suffixes (such as PER- for pre– or –SION for –tion)

Stage 5: Derivational Relations Spelling Stage (Building Vocabulary)

•  spell most common words correctly, but can confuse patterns such as:
• unaccented syllable spellings (schwa)
• silent consonants (EMFASIZE for emphasize)
• some suffixes and prefixes (MISPELL for misspell)
• “borrowed” word spellings
• To read more about stages 4-5, click here.

Can you, from the information above, identify your child’s level of spelling development…or at least make an educated guess?  If you’re still not quite sure, over the next couple of days I hope to give you a few more tools for your word study toolbox. 🙂

More Spelling Development Resources:

• My new ebook, Teaching Kids to Spell , is based on teaching in a developmentally appropriate way. In it, you’ll find ideas for identifying your child’s spelling development stage as well as strategies to teach in each stage. The appendix is also full of printables you can print off and use with your child as you teach him to spell!
• 10 Days of Teaching Spelling Through Word Study {You’ve just read day 2 of this series.}
• Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling Instruction
• Using Words Their Way to Teach Spelling
• Stages of Spelling Development

~Becky

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5 Stages of Spelling Development

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Just like so many things in our children’s lives, learning spelling is developmental.  Once you know what the developmental levels are, and what level your child is on, you no longer have to worry about if they are behind or right where they need to be.

When we have our children, it begins.  The constant comparison to other children.  From who is holding their head on their own, to who is sleeping through the night.  Eventually, that turns into who is reading at what grade level and when.  Comparison seems to be the name of the game for a lot of parents.  

The truth is, just like all of those adorable first milestones are developmental and they will come in time, the same is true for spelling ability.  I don’t understand why so many people (both parents and educators) think some magic switch gets thrown at 5 years old making the child ready for school and for formal academics!  

We’ve talked before about how reading and literacy is developmental and most children aren’t entirely ready to read until they are about 7 or 8 years old, but some are as old as 9 or 10.   The same is true for spelling.  There are actually five stages of spelling development:  Emergent Spelling, Letter Name Spelling, Within-Word Pattern Spelling, Syllables Juncture Spelling, and Derivational Constancy Spelling.  

Emergent Spelling

This stage is typical of children who are 3-5 years old.  During the Emergent stage, children learn to make the distinction between drawing and writing.  You may notice that your child will show you a piece of paper with scribbles on it and then tell you what it says.  This is very early spelling even though there may not be a single letter on the page.  Children in this stage then learn how to make letters and distinguish between them.  They will learn which direction you write on a page (left to right, top to bottom).  They will also begin early phonemic awareness, recognizing that certain letters make certain sounds.  By the end of this stage, children are realizing that letters represent sounds in words.

Letter Name Spelling

This stage is typical for children who are 4-9 years old.   This wide five-year span confirms that not all children will learn at the same pace.  During the Letter Name stage, children begin to represent the phonemes in words with letters.  Early Letter Name spellers, may often write only a few of the strongest phonemes to represent the word.  Children at the beginning of this stage my write D for dog, or KE for cookie, identifying only the strongest sounds in the word.  This “kid writing” or “kid spelling” as it is often called is developmental and so important for our young learners.  

As learners move through this stage of spelling development, they will begin using the beginning and ending consonants in most words and will begin to include a vowel in each syllable.  They will learn word families and can spell multiple words, even those unfamiliar to them, using the patterns they recognize from the word families.    

Within Words Spelling 

This stage is typical for children who are 6-12 years old.  Learners have moved on to the Within Words stage of spelling when they can spell most single-syllable, short-vowel words correctly.   During this stage of spelling development, children will learn long vowel sounds and patterns in single-syllable words.  They will also learn more complex consonant patterns containing three letters (for example -tch as in watch), as well as less common vowel patterns.  Learners will also become aware of homophones.  By the end of this stage, children can read and write many words correctly because of their knowledge of letter sounds and short-vowel patterns.

Syllable Juncture Spelling

This stage is typical for children who are 8-12 years old.  During this stage, children take what they know about letter sounds and short-vowel patterns and apply it to multi-syllable words.  They will also learn inflectional endings (-ed, -ing, -s, -es), and rules about doubling consonants, changing the y to an i, or dropping the final e before adding suffixes to words.  Homophones and compound are also taught during this stage of spelling development.  Additional prefixes and suffixes are also introduced to students.

Derivational Constancy Spelling

This stage is typical for children who are 10 years old or older.  During this stage, children learn that meaning, as well as patterns and sound, are important in spelling words in the English language.  Greek and Latin roots and affixes are taught, bringing a level of vocabulary study into the spelling lessons.  Learners explore the relationship between spelling and meaning and learn to associate word meaning even when vowel sounds change from the root word (for example wise – wisdom).  This is the final stage of spelling development continues through adulthood with how we continue to learn new words and language.

Children’s spelling ability is developmental and you can not force a child to move from one stage to another with rote memorization or skill and drill practices.  Many spelling programs that are used today are very good with following the early developmental stages of spelling, which is great for 1st and 2nd grade students.   Unfortunately, classroom teachers are often told which resource they must use at each grade level, so come 3rd grade students may have a spelling list that is outside.  Some schools allow for teachers to differentiate instruction for all learners using whatever resources they believe are necessary.

Luckily, during my classroom teaching experience, I worked in two school districts that allowed the classroom teacher to differentiate spelling for each student in our class.  Over the next several posts, I will share what I used for teaching developmental spelling in public school, and what I use to teach developmental spelling now in our homeschool.

What is a presentation and how to write it. Ekaterina Buneeva's online home literacy school

I don't know why, but in schoolchildren and their parents, the word "exposition" causes approximately the same reaction as the words "dictation", "control". In fact, the presentation is just an exercise, a special speech exercise: a written retelling of the text. Presentations are, of course, control (at the end of a quarter or a year), but in the course of the Russian language of elementary and basic schools, presentations are conducted primarily for EDUCATION, and not for control. Written presentation of the text develops coherent speech and at the same time helps to learn how to write correctly. That is why in the scientific classification of exercises in the Russian language, the presentation is referred not only to the group of special speech, but also to the group of non-special spelling and punctuation exercises. Simply put, recitation is a very useful learning exercise that develops speech and helps you learn to write without errors. nine0003

Everyone probably remembers from their school experience how they wrote a control presentation: the teacher read the text aloud several times, the students tried to remember, made a plan and recited the text from memory.

EDUCATIONAL presentation presupposes precisely EDUCATION of written retelling. At the first stages, the child must see the text, it is difficult for him to immediately perceive it only by ear, so we start by reading and analyzing the text, then we will show how to draw up a plan and why it is needed, we will analyze the spelling and punctuation marks, and only then we will listen to the text again and Let's write it down in writing. nine0003

I will show by example how the teaching of presentation begins in the 2nd half of the 2nd grade.

I hope this algorithm will help from the very beginning to properly organize learning or correct the actions of the child if something does not work out for him. It is convenient for both the teacher and the parents or tutor who work with the child individually.

How to prepare for presentation

Stage 1. Visual perception: reading and analyzing text, oral retelling. nine0003

1. Read the title. Can you guess what the text will be about?
2. Read the text to yourself.

In the winter park

Our park is so beautiful in winter! There is fluffy snow. Freezing. The snow crunches underfoot. I hear every step I take.

There is a pond at the edge of the park. He froze. The fishermen are breaking through the thick ice. They need a hole. What if a fabulous pike lives there?

3. How many parts are there in the text? Write: _______. How did you guess? (We conclude: two paragraphs, so two parts) How is each part written? (Please note: each part begins with an indent, it is called a paragraph or a red line). nine0019 4. Read aloud the 1st part. What does it say? Tell. (This is an oral retelling, in the lesson it is better to organize it in pairs, then all the children will retell the text, and will not passively listen to one person).
5. What title is more suitable for the 1st part? Choose and highlight.
In winter. Winter day. Frosty winter day.
(We choose and underline the third option: the keyword “frosty” more accurately conveys the content of the 1st paragraph and helps to remember it. ) nine0019 6. Reread the 2nd part of the text. What does it say? Tell.
7. What title is more suitable for the 2nd part? Choose and highlight.
Pond. Fishermen on the pond.
(The second title is more precise, the key word is "fishermen".)
8. Reread the last sentence. Whose thought is this? What person could think so? (This is the thought of the narrator, the person on whose behalf the story is being told. So a person who knows fairy tales could think, he has a developed fantasy ...) nine0003

Stage 2. Making a plan.

9. If we write down the headings that you have chosen for parts of the text, we will get an outline of this text. The plan will help retell the text:

1) A frosty winter day.
2) Fishermen on the pond.

Stage 3. Spelling and punctuation analysis.

10. Find words in the text where you can make a mistake. Underline the spelling letters, the space between the preposition and the adjacent word. Identify familiar spellings. Remember how words that cannot be verified are spelled. (There are words in the text with spellings that the children have already studied: with letters of unstressed vowels at the root - beautiful, in winter, lies, etc., with letters of paired consonants at the end of the word - frost, ice, etc. They must be found, useful write down these words and graphically explain the choice of spellings.) Pay attention to the signs at the end of the sentences. Are there only dots? (No, there is an exclamation mark, a question mark. It is useful to read these sentences aloud with the right intonation.) nine0003

Stage 4. Listening to the text (listening), recording.

11. Close the text. Listen to him again. Write an essay. The outline will help you. (The plan should be in front of the child's eyes).

Step 5. Self test.

12. Check your note: underline and mark in words all familiar spellings. Check paragraphs, capital letter at the beginning and signs at the end of sentences. Correct errors if any. (You can then give the child the opportunity to see the text again and compare your entry with it.) nine0003

Once again I want to clarify: this is the very beginning, the first steps. It is very important here that all types of speech activity participate in the process of preparing, writing and checking the presentation: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

A detailed description of the methodology and texts for presentations are in the textbooks of E. V. Buneeva: for grades 2–4 and for grades 5–9

Webinar recording of Dr. ped. Sciences E. V. Buneeva "How to teach a child to write a presentation": https://buneeva.vsepravilno.com/study/course?id=27 nine0003

© E. V. Buneeva, 2018

The Russian native language and Russian native literature appeared at school

Roman Anatolyevich, how do the lessons of the Russian native language differ from "ordinary" Russian?

Roman Doschinsky: In the first case, we study the language as a system, we pay great attention to the development of speech, mastering spelling and punctuation. As for the course of the native language, it is divided into three blocks. The first is linguoculturology. This is an attempt to correlate language and culture - to immerse yourself in forgotten words (archaisms and historicisms), to "play" with additional shades that some words and expressions carry, reflecting the worldview of a Russian person. In a regular Russian language course, there is simply not enough time for this. This module will awaken the child's thoughts and emotions about the wealth he owns - the Russian language. nine0003

The second block is the norms of speech. The correct placement of stress, the correct word usage, the grammatical culture of speech - all these are the falling links of the traditional course of the Russian language. And the third is rhetoric. We also hardly do this in Russian language lessons. As a rule, schoolchildren are tested for writing skills - dictations, presentations, compositions. Given the introduction of the ninth grade final interview, the return of rhetoric to school is good news. And in general, the language teacher is only glad that extra hours appeared in the schedule, which he definitely will not waste. nine0003

Why new subjects and not, say, electives? There's so much talk about kids being overwhelmed, right?

Roman Doschinsky: Need to know the "history of the issue". Four years ago, school standards were adjusted - GEF. They were divided into three large blocks. Separately - Russian with literature, separately - native language and native literature, and separately - foreign languages. All are required to study. And if in the fifth grade, for example, five hours are allotted for the state Russian language, now no one can take them away in favor of other subjects of the philological cycle. nine0003

In the new academic year, for the first time, many parents were asked to write a statement about what mother tongue their child would learn.

But what happened in some national republics? The whole class went to the lesson of the national native language, but what was a child to do, for whom the native language is Russian? He went to class with everyone. Similar cases in 2017 caused a great public outcry. After that, at the federal level, it was necessary to make changes to the Law "On Education in the Russian Federation". nine0003

Which ones?

Roman Doshchinsky: It was prescribed that all languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, including Russian, are considered to be the native language. And why, in this case, children in the national republic study their native language and native literature as separate subjects, while children, for example, in the Ivanovo region are deprived of this in terms of additional hours? All children, regardless of region, should have equal educational opportunities. This is how, in fact, new subjects appeared - the Russian native language and Russian native literature. According to their content, they cannot and should not duplicate existing school subjects. nine0003

From the beginning of the new school year, parents write an application about what mother tongue their child will learn. True, there is a limitation. The same Law "On Education in the Russian Federation" states that all children "are guaranteed education in the state language of the Russian Federation, as well as the choice of the language of instruction and upbringing within the possibilities provided by the education system." What does this phrase mean in practice? If the parents want the child to learn a language that no one else at school will learn, or if there are no teachers, then Russian will be offered as his native language. nine0003

What if, let's say, a little Yakut or Kabardin came to an ordinary metropolitan school. But parents do not want their child to learn Russian as a mother tongue. Can the family refuse?

Roman Doschinsky: In principle, it can. Skews are not allowed here. But the problem is also that the subjects "native language" and "native literature" have become an obligatory part of the program. Marks for them must be put in the certificate.

Way out?

Roman Doschinsky: I see two options. The first is a network learning model, when an external (from another educational organization) teacher of his native language is searched for a student, and the school, by agreement, counts the results that the child receives during the course. Only in this scenario, the school may face the difficulty of legally formalizing its own educational program, which should include the possibility of learning any language of the peoples of the Russian Federation. nine0003

Two hundred and fifty national languages ​​spoken by the peoples of Russia

The second option is distance learning using modern electronic resources. If a child could take a native language course on the platform of the Russian Electronic School and get a final mark on it, then the school could count it into the certificate. But these are only plans so far, which may be implemented. This issue needs to be resolved as quickly as possible.

Suppose all children at school are ready to learn Russian as their native language. Where can I get a watch? Switch to six days? nine0016