Argues that developmental spelling theory has made primary school teachers aware that spelling is a developmental process, has heightened teachers' awareness of the important relationship between young children's early spelling and word reading efforts, and has influenced work on the use of derivational morphology in the middle grades. (RS)

Meeting the needs of students who are below their grade level in spelling ability is a continual problem for elementary teachers. Much has been learned over the past 15 years about how children learn to spell in the primary grades. Developmental spelling sequences have gained credibility and developmental spelling theory has provided important…

Notes that the ways in which spelling has been conceptualized have evolved dramatically over the last few decades. Explores the evolution of this reconceptualization through a discussion of spelling as a system, as a subject of instruction, and as a psychological and linguistic process in writing and reading. Explains how instructional…

Provides a rationale for differentiating spelling instruction in the classroom according to ability level. Summarizes recent developmental research that helps to explain how K-grade 2 students progress in learning to spell. Discusses diagnosis of children's spelling and presents a classroom instructional plan. Appended are graded spelling lists…

Explores the concept of spelling instruction in the elementary grades through the analysis of error-types. (Author/HOD)

This article describes a second-grade teacher's attempt to differentiate spelling instruction according to student achievement levels. The article begins by reviewing developmental spelling theory, particularly the stages that relate to first- and second-grade reader/writers. Following is a detailed description of the classroom spelling program,…

Answers teachers' most frequently asked questions about spelling, including issues related to why English spelling is the way it is; how students learn to spell; selection and organization of spelling words; determining spelling levels; invented spelling; effective instructional activities; spelling strategies; assessment; and adjusting…