Spelling Development
5 Year Old
Continues to be largely prephonemic or early phonemic - initial
consonants begin to appear as representing words and are sometimes
strung together in sentences as ISTBFL (I see the butterfly)
6 Year Old
Letter naming (I lik to et candee -- I like to eat candy) and "transitional"
spelling (My frends ride bickes) predominate at this age; growing sense of
phonetic clues is emerging and should be taught extensively
7 Year Old
Correct spelling slowly emerges from transitional with increased phonetic
and sight word fluency; a formal spelling program appropriately begins;
"invented" spelling should still be accepted because revision is still not
seen as necessary or important; capitalization and punctuation easily
taught
8 Year Old
Correct spelling improves; compound words taught; use of dictionary,
alphabetical order; phonetic mistake patterns more noticeable and
students with real difficulty in spelling easier to spot; practice with
capitalization and punctuation continues
9 Year Old
Use of dictionary improves as does first draft spelling; functional spelling
as in journals, other subject writing shows increasingly fewer mistakes;
weekly testing appropriate; basic capitalization and punctuation usually
mastered
10 Year Old
Enjoy memorizing spelling lists and are challenged positively by difficult
words; ability to do well on tests and to spell well functionally do not
always coincide
11 Year Old
Accurate or difficult depending on child; most enjoy challenge or difficult
words; dictionary skills emphasized
12 Year Old
Functional for most; use of "spell checks" for those severely challenged as
well as other computer interventions
"Yardsticks; Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14" by Chip Wood