Spelling Interventions and Strategies

Given the number of words in the English language, mastering spelling is a daunting and complex task. Yet, spelling is critical for enhancing word knowledge used in reading and for fluent and qualitative writing that provides effective communication. However, many students, particularly those with learning disabilities, are poor spellers. Computer spell checkers are one option for poor spellers even though up to 63% of errors can remain uncorrected. Hence, an emphasis on spelling as a structured curriculum area is reemerging in research, in the classroom, and in school psychologists' assessment and intervention practices.

Decades of research present a number of effective teaching options for spelling; however, there are two barriers to effective spelling practices in the classroom. First, teachers persistently use a simple but ineffective method that focuses on memorization of an optimal number of words with little emphasis on word concepts. Second, there is a lack of adequate teacher training in spelling development, systematic spelling patterns, or effective methods that promote word concepts or individualized strategies for poor spellers. One promising finding from a survey conducted by Traynelis-Yerek and Strong (1999) suggests that school districts are increasingly employing a wider variety of spelling approaches; however, few combine individualized spelling practices with developmental spelling or direct instruction.

Theories on the developmental stages of spelling have been the primary influence for change in spelling practices. Based on observations of children's spelling, Henderson and Templeton (1986) proposed five stages of spelling, which are represented in spelling production and types of errors as spelling skills increase (Table 1). Initially, theorists proposed that spelling stages developed by learning a sequence of tactics in an orderly manner, starting with the use of sound–letter associations (phonological processing), to rules on blending of letters and syllables within words (orthographic processing), to deriving word meaning from root words and their affixes (morphological processing). Instead, Trieman and Cassar (1997) reviewed a series of studies that demonstrated immature spellers primarily use phonological skills when generating words, but simple orthographic and morphemic aspects of spelling also contribute to early spelling attempts. However, exactly how the integration of the three skills evolves and changes to advanced spelling levels is not well understood.

Good spellers are those who are explicitly taught spelling skills corresponding with reading and writing experience. Three objectives of spelling programs are to obtain accurate spelling, retention of accurate spelling over time, and generalization of accurate spelling in writing. Basic teaching strategies that effectively achieve these objectives include:

• Presenting and modeling
• Providing practice
• Giving feedback
• Reinforcing increased performance

A review on spelling instruction suggests that basic teaching strategies are effective for all students because similar developmental spelling patterns are observed with good and poor spellers. Nonetheless, poor spellers differ from good spellers in three ways. Poor spellers learn phonological, orthographic, and morphological skills at a slow rate; fail to retain accurate spelling over time; and fail to generalize skills when spelling unknown words. However, straightforward modifications of basic teaching steps by altering frequency, duration, intensity, or quantity of each step have enhanced spelling for poor spellers. The following sections discuss strategies for each of the basic teaching steps that enhance spelling performance for good and poor spellers, with specific parametric modifications for remediation.

...