Four Second Graders’ Descriptions of How They Spell

Suzanne Langford,Mary Neal

doi:10.20360/g2b59q

Abstract

This study describes and categorizes the ways in which four children (two above-average and two below-average spellers) from one second grade classroom, use and talk about their spelling knowledge during a qualitative spelling inventory and an informal writing activity. Qualitative data include audiotapes of “talk-alouds” and interviews with the students, written spellings that students produced, field notes documenting informal conversations with the students’ first grade teachers, and classroom observations. The data revealed two categories of spelling knowledge: (1) developmental stage spelling knowledge and (2) verbalized spelling knowledge. The data defined ten subcategories of spelling knowledge. Patterns that emerged from the data suggest that students’ spelling knowledge in a specific subcategory relates to spelling ability and spelling task. Data also suggest participants’ instruction and application of invented spelling in first grade may influence certain features of spelling knowledge.

Highlights

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the spelling knowledge of belowaverage and above-average second grade spellers
The structured language approach grew out of Samuel Orton’s work with dyslexic readers. This approach focuses on accurate links between letters and sounds and uses direct teaching with visual and kinesthetic methods to link phonemic awareness, decoding, blending, and spelling
In a developmental approach to spelling, written word knowledge and the way it develops in spelling is seen as important for understanding related literacy processes such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and writing

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the spelling knowledge of belowaverage and above-average second grade spellers. The structured language approach grew out of Samuel Orton’s work with dyslexic readers This approach focuses on accurate links between letters and sounds and uses direct teaching with visual and kinesthetic methods to link phonemic awareness, decoding, blending, and spelling. In a developmental approach to spelling, written word knowledge and the way it develops in spelling is seen as important for understanding related literacy processes such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and writing. When children internalize the sound-symbol relationships of consonants, consonant blends and digraphs, and long and short vowels, they can focus on common patterns of letters found within words such as, correct representations of short vowels and variations in representing the marking system in long vowels (e.g., rain for rane, feed for feide) This is the within-word stage of spelling development. Like miscues in reading, may provide opportunities for teachers to assess and teach spelling, but other elements of literacy including, phonemic awareness, phonics, and writing (Gentry, 2000)

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