Definition-Louisa Moats (2005, 2009), an expert in literacy instruction, says that spelling is a visible record of a child's language processing, and gives us a window into what a child understands about word structure and speech sounds, and how we use letters to represent those sounds.
Research Findings
Research has shown that learning to spell and learning to read rely on much of the same underlying knowledge — such as the relationships between letters and sounds — and, not surprisingly, that spelling instruction can be designed to help children better understand that key knowledge, resulting in better reading. Catherine Snow et al. summarize the real importance of spelling for reading as follows: “Spelling and reading build and rely on the same mental representation of a word. Knowing the spelling of a word makes the representation of it sturdy and accessible for fluent reading.” In fact, Ehri and Snowling found that the ability to read words “by sight” (i.e. automatically) rests on the ability to map letters and letter combinations to sounds. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-spelling-supports-reading
Proficiency in spelling actually supports reading (Moats, 2005/2006). Accurate spelling reflects more advanced linguistic knowledge because it requires the integration of phonological, orthographic, and morphological knowledge (Ehri, 2000).
ELA Standards for Spelling
5.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding
words; write legibly.
a. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
b. Write legibly in manuscript and cursive.
4.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.
a. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
b. Write legibly in manuscript and cursive.
3.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding
words; write legibly.
a. Use spelling patterns and generalizations in writing one-, two-, and three-syllable words.
b. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency words, including irregular words.
c. Consult reference materials, including a dictionary and thesaurus, as needed to
check and correct spellings.
d. Write legibly in manuscript; write all lower and uppercase cursive letters.
2. FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.
a. Use conventional spelling for one-syllable words including position-based patterns, complex consonant blends, less common vowel teams for long vowels, vowel -r combinations, contractions, homophones, plurals, and possessives.
b. Use conventional spelling for regular two- and three-syllable words containing combined syllable types, compounds, and common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
c. Spell words with suffixes that require consonant doubling, dropping silent -
e, and changing y to i
d. Write most common, frequently used words and most irregular words.
e. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, to check and correct spelling.
f. Print legibly in manuscript; write many upper and lowercase letters in cursive.
1.FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.
a. Use conventional spelling for one-syllable words with common consonant spelling patterns, including consonant diagraphs, double letters, and initial and final consonant blends.
b. Use conventional spelling for one-syllable words with common vowel spelling patterns including VCVe, common vowel teams, final -y, and r-controlled vowels.
c. Spell words with inflectional endings.
d. Spell two-syllable words that end in -y or -ly, are compounds, or have two closed syllables.
e. Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.
f. Write many common, frequently used words and some irregular words.
g. Print all upper and lowercase letters.
K.F FL.WC.4 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.
a. Write uppercase and lowercase manuscript letters from memory.
b. Write a letter/letters for most consonant and short vowel sounds (phonemes).
c. Represent phonemes first to last in simple words using letters (graphemes) such as rop, for, rope.
d. Spell VC (at, in) and CVC (pet, mud) words with short vowels; spell V (a, I) and CV(be, go) words with long vowels.
e. Identify the letters used to represent vowel phonemes and those used to represent consonants; know that every syllable has a vowel.
f. Write some common, frequently used words (am, and, like, the).
g. Print many upper and lowercase letters.