Invented Spelling in the Open Classroom

Abstract

The phenomenon of children's early writing, in their own invented spellings, has been described and documented by Charles Read. Selections from his doctoral dissertation appear, with the author's permission, in Appendix 2. This article discusses these early spellings, which children produced at home in a naturalistic setting, and recommends that this surprising linguistic ability of young children to write and spell on their own be fostered in the classroom. Suggestions are also made for incorporating early writing into young children's school activities.