How to Study Spelling Words

First, examine the mouth moves of the spoken word.                        Example

1. Say the word.                                                                             night
Say the syllables if there are more than one.

2. Stretch the word.                                                                     /nnnIIIt/
Work syllable by syllable with multisyllabic words.
If a phoneme can't be stretched, exaggerate it.
 
3. Segment (split up) the phonemes.
Work by syllables if necessary.
First phoneme?                                                                               /n/
Next phoneme? etc.                                                                        /I/
Last phoneme?                                                                               /t/
Skillful spellers may simply report the segments.

4. Count the phonemes.                                                                 3
 
5. Draw blanks.                                                                             __  ___  __
The blanks stand for the phonemes.
Put slashes between syllables.
 

Next, construct a word map to learn the spelling.

6. Record the spelling phoneme by phoneme.
On the first blank, write [letters]                                                     n  ___  __
On next blank, write [letters]                                                           n  igh  __
On last blank, write [letters]                                                            n  igh   t
If there are silent letters, caret them in.

7. Write the word in your best cursive handwriting.                     night

8. Study the spelling.
Ask what a pattern] says  OR                                                       What does igh say?
Ask about how a phoneme is spelled OR                                      How do we spell /I/ in night?
Ask what we need to remember about the word.                         What's tricky about night?
Only ask about tricky parts.