Beginning first graders' “invented spelling” ability and their performance in functional classroom writing activities

Abstract

A procedure was designed and used for quickly and informally assessing young children's knowledge of letter-sound correspondences using an “invented spelling” task. The procedure is described in detail for adaptation and use by others. The emphasis is on obtaining information for use in classrooms where children's experimentation with, and individual progress in, writing are encouraged. Results with one class of beginning first graders are described in terms of class percentages of words and word parts spelled conventionally and in other systematic ways. Four children's performances are analyzed separately as examples of different stages of awareness. Functional writing activities in this first-grade class are described. Samples from the four children's classroom writing are compared with their performances during the assessment procedure.