Spelling

  • 22 minutes

Spelling letter sounds

Spelling, or encoding, is turning our thoughts into symbols to then write down. The skills necessary for efficient reading are the same for spelling.

  • The learner with dyslexia doesn't naturally connect the sounds they hear to the letters they see. However, with direct and explicit instruction and a multisensory approach on the sound-symbol relationship, the learner with dyslexia can be taught to spell the sounds within words.
  • Spelling requires the segmentation of sounds within words. Students with dyslexia should be taught to segment, or tap, the sounds in words before attempting to write the word.
  • Dictating sounds for students to spell is an excellent multisensory activity. In conjunction with a strong handwriting program, daily practice allows spelling to become more intrinsic.

Reflection

  • What techniques can you use to attach sounds to letters?
  • Where do you see as the connections between reading and spelling?
  • How can you make your lessons more multi-sensory?

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Spelling syllables

Spelling syllables requires hearing the individual sounds within a syllable and then mapping them to their visual symbols, letters, in the correct sequence.

  • English syllables actually do follow rules and/or generalizations that provide structure and organization to English spelling.
  • There are six syllable types in English. Knowledge of the syllable types takes away the guessing at how a syllable is spelled.
  • Spelling is wired to language in the same way we think about reading. A learner with dyslexia can struggle with spelling for many of the same reasons they have difficulty with reading. They're both language based. Understanding the complexity of spelling and the implications that has on a teacher’s instruction can help students understanding.

Reflection

  • How do spelling rules and generalizations used in English remove the guessing game of spelling?
  • How does spelling words by syllables help students chunk important information about the sounds within words?
  • How can your spelling instruction include work with the six syllable types?

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Fluency

The ability of learners with dyslexia to express their ideas easily and articulately can often get bogged down by poor spelling.

  • Through teaching the rules and generalizations of English spellings, a teacher is explicitly explaining why a word is spelled a certain way. Typically, English spellings are more regular than irregular.
  • Multisensory activities should be used to understand and make sense of spellings, so students no longer have to guess or rely on their visual memory.
  • Consistent and repeated practice of dictation, with examples and nonexamples of words that follow spelling patterns, is beneficial to the learner with dyslexia.

Reflection

  • How can targeted spelling practice support reading instruction?
  • Why is it important for teachers to know the structure of the English language and not teach students to guess at spellings?
  • Name three different ways to practice spelling patterns.

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Comprehension

English is a complex language with a rich history. Understanding that history and the sources of the language empowers learners with dyslexia to appreciate the spellings of words.

  • Teaching morphology, the study of word parts and their meaning, to a learner with dyslexia generates an efficient pathway for spelling over 50% of the words in the English language.
  • Connections between the meanings of words and their spellings provide the student a method to spell words with parts of language they use daily rather than just memorization.

Reflection

  • How can targeted spelling practice support reading instruction?
  • How does breaking a word into parts and knowing its meanings aid spelling?
  • Why does discussing suffixes like -ing and -er help a student understand the spelling of larger words?

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