Engaging in and Exploring

Spelling
This resource has been designed to assist the classroom teacher to reflect on and inquire into their approach to teaching spelling. It is one of a series of resources produced by the Literacy Secretariat.

A practical guide for classroom teachers

Why does spelling matter?

Proficient spellers have more time to devote to text structure, grammar and word choice, enabling their ideas, knowledge and skills to be conveyed through their writing. Those spending a lot of time and energy on spelling, or avoiding to use hard-to-spell words, can feel inhibited in their confidence to write. Why teach spelling when spelling checkers are so available on our computers and phones? Spell checkers only catch a limited range of spelling errors and can create errors in word selection. Relying on spell checkers also critically limits language awareness, memorisation, visualization and automaticity. The suggestion that it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae has been used to defend inconsistent (poor) spelling, or choosing not to teach it. But its a myth. It requires a firm foundation in the sounds represented by letters to figure out this text. The skill of spelling contributes to reading fluency, reading comprehension, and writing.

What is spelling?
Spelling is the process of converting oral language to visual form by placing graphic symbols on a writing surface. Writing systems vary with respect to how a language is graphically represented. English spelling is a system which integrates phonetic, visual, morphemic and etymological patterns to represent the language. Useful terms Phoneme: the smallest unit of sound in a word, eg the word it is made up of two phonemes /i/ and /t/ Morpheme: the smallest unit of language that carries meaning, such as nation, (nation)al, inter(nation)al Phonetic knowledge: the sound- symbol relationship Visual knowledge: the way letters are combined in words Morphemic knowledge: the way morphemes work in words Etymological knowledge: the origins of words

Resource Paper: Consultative Draft August 2010

What do teachers need to know about spelling?

Effective spelling relies on four kinds of knowledge: Phonetic eg letter names sounds represented by symbolsvowels and consonants onsets and rimes (eg truck; shop; pet) spelling patternsstrings or clusters of letters which occur in many words sharing common sound units (eg ite/ight). Visual eg symbols/letters are used to write words spaces between words a letter string may represent different sounds the probability of letter order in the common letter strings in English. Morphemic eg using morphemes adding suffixes and prefixes to base words generalisations about adding suffixes/prefixes spelling patterns common to word families (ie letter strings) apostrophes for contractions and possession. Etymological eg words derived from Latin and Greek homonymshomophones and homographs blended words: blending the start of one word with the onset or rime of another eg Medibankmedical + bank proprietary names: trade name or trade mark, for example, Bandaid eponyms: originates from the names of people, places or institutions, for example, leotardJ. Leotard, a trapeze performer

How do learners learn to spell?

Learning to spell is a developmental process Observation of the words learners are able to spell correctly and the ways they misspell words reveals a progression from an emerging letter-sound relationship to a sophisticated, proficient use of multiple strategies to spell correctly. This provides a useful road map for assessing and planning for spelling development. Learning to spell is a conceptual process Spellers learn to recognize differences and similarities between words and apply their developing concepts and strategies to read and spell new words. They use feedback to confirm or revise their hypotheses. This suggests that it benefits learners to learn multiple strategies from the start: spelling by sound, pattern, rule, memory, analogy, chunking and copying from a secondary source eg dictionary, thesaurus and atlas. Regular high-frequency words are consistent with the common sound-letter relationships (and, but, down, tree) and can be taught using phonological cues (phonics and phonemic awareness strategies) supported by context or meaning and language structure cues. Irregular high-frequency words do not conform to the common sound-letter spelling patterns in English (could, eight, one, said) and need to be learned visually as whole words supported by strategies involving context or meaning and language structure cues. ERA, 2010

How can teachers use assessment to improve learners spelling?

Use Assessment for learning to focus on where your learners are and what they need to achieve. Observe your learners engaging in writing and spelling. Gather writing samples. Consider the behaviour and the samples, asking:

Refer to the Phonics Resource Papers for more information about phonics.
A balanced spelling program

What does this learner know about print concepts, letter sound relationships, morphemes, visual patterns, etymology? What strategies is this learner using to spell?

Based on your observations, plan for the next step of development for this learner. Use Assessment as learning for you and your learners to identify and reflect on evidence of progress. Use Assessment of learning to make valid and reliable judgments of learner achievements over time using, for example, the stages of spelling development and NAPLaN levels for spelling as a reference. Refer to the Assessment Resource Papers for more information about individual assessment tools for spelling.

A balanced spelling program of instruction attends to: the four kinds of spelling knowledge the application of this knowledge to the spelling of words the effective use of resources to select correct spelling such as spell checks, dictionary and word banks practising, applying and assessing spelling

..the English language is not the chaotic beast of mythology it is often made out to be. On the contrary, it is systematic and reasonably predictable in the conventional way it is spelt. Cramer and Cipielewski, 1995

Resource Paper: Consultative Draft August 2010

Stages of spelling development STAGE ONE - Emerging print concepts begin to write from left to right using the letters of the English language they know the letters frequently have no relationship to the sounds they represent the message may change each time the learners read it

What aspects of literacy support effective spellers?

Listening and speaking Being able to identify the sound units within spoken language is important for reading and spelling. Learners who can work out the sounds they need to spell words accurately will become proficient spellers. They need to be able to hear and articulate words accurately. Reading and writing Proficient spelling requires a high degree of word knowledge. Good spellers read more accurately and more fluently. Reading provides the knowledge of how words are used in sentences that learners need for their writing. Attention to spelling in the writing process helps to develop the spelling knowledge and strategies. Handwriting There is a high correlation between automated handwriting and written language ability. Fluent handwriters can concentrate on the actual spelling of unfamiliar words. Learners who are explicitly taught handwriting, including the linking of letters, are more likely to successfully write letter clusters, onsets and rimes. Some spelling difficulties, for example, reversals of letters, and the difficulty of a reader to distinguish between the letters u and i , e and o, e and a, v and w, l and i in some writing, may be related to incorrect formation of letters. Spelling lists and spelling tests Lists of words are useful in the teaching and learning of spelling when they are organised purposefully. The most purposeful lists are those organised according to the four forms of spelling knowledge, high frequency lists and the classroom program. Spelling tests support short term memory which may not lead to permanent learning. Invented spelling Learners need to be invited to explore and experiment with spelling unknown words. They need to be reassured that taking risks with getting it right is an important step towards becoming a competent speller. It is important that encouragement to use invented spelling is accompanied with the explicit teaching of spelling and strategies for checking.
An integrated spelling program

STAGE TWO- Semi phonetic write left to right, top to bottom, able to copy letter by letter some awareness of soundsymbol relationships some letters represent sounds within a word - may only be using consonants

STAGE THREE - Phonetic almost perfect match between letters and sounds develop their own generalisations about how to spell certain words some common letter strings (eg -ing, un-, -ed)

STAGE FOUR - Transitional more use of visual and morphemic strategies have a bank of correctly-spelt words and can proofread their writing for those words

STAGE FIVE - Proficient use visual and morphemic patterns of the English spelling system can accurately spell a bank of complex words use a multisensory approach to spelling unfamiliar words can proofread and self-correct their own writing

Spelling: From beginnings to independence, DECS, 1997

An integrated spelling program builds attention to spelling in a literacy program selects texts and words to model spelling patterns from curriculum content and the wider community context which is familiar to the learners builds attention to spelling into any teaching and learning cycle

Resource Paper: Consultative Draft August 2010

A systematic and explicit approach to teaching spelling

Self review Reflecting on a systematic site approach to spelling

Review, Use, Predict Review prior knowledge about words and spelling Use vocabulary with new pattern orally in context Predict the spelling pattern based on cues Model, Identify, Contrast Provide text or words with target spelling patterns Identify the spelling patterns Contrast with other spelling patterns Joint and independent learning Whole class and group activities to practice new spelling patterns Independent activities Assess, Revise, Reflect Revise new learning Self assess progress

Whats working well at your site for spelling teaching and learning? What have you noticed? What is of concern? Do you have site agreement about the place of spelling in your literacy program? Do you have site agreement about which sight and high frequency word lists to use? Do you use data to evaluate the effectiveness of your approach to spelling? What support do you need to achieve a systematic whole site approach to spelling?

Self review is a key element of the DECS Improvement and Accountability Framework (DIAf). Self review relies on teachers working together to evaluate site performance and practice in priority areas and identify opportunities and actions for improvement. To find out more about Self Review go to < www.decs.sa.gov.au/quality >.

Self review Reflecting on practice

Some useful references and resources about spelling

Bouffler C, Bean, W. 1990, Spelling: a Writer's Resource, Rigby, Adelaide Department for Children, Schools and Families 2009, The National Strategies Primary: Support for Spelling, UK Accessed 20th July 2010 www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications Department for Education and Children's Services. 1997, Spelling: From beginnings to independence, DECS, Adelaide ERA Publication 2010, High-Frequency Words, Accessed 3rd August 2010 http://www.erapublications.com/media/docs/high_frequ ency_words.pdf Orthographic (spelling) knowledge with Dr. Ann Sharp Podcast Accessed 20th July 2010 http://www.voiceofliteracy.org/posts/27490 Westwood P. 2010, Spelling: Approaches to teaching and assessment, Second edition, ACER Press, More resources are at <www.decs.sa.gov.au/literacy>

Do you have a balanced spelling program? Do you build learners self-image as spellers? develop learners word knowledge (phonetic, visual, morphemic and etymological)? support learners to apply spelling strategies and to proofread? Do you have an integrated spelling program? Do you connect spelling instruction to curriculum areas? build spelling into any teaching and learning cycle? Do you have a systematic and explicit approach to teaching spelling? Do you support learners to identify and define the spelling patterns? have a range of interactive activities to practise the new spelling patterns?

Spelling contracts in a literacy program may be useful to practice and revise the spelling of familiar words but do not substitute for explicit attention to spelling and spelling strategies.

Resource Paper: Consultative Draft August 2010