Scaffolded Spelling

Introduction
English spelling is a rule system that connects the sounds of words with their written forms. (Steven Pinker. Words and rules. 1999)

English is an alphabetic language, but one where sounds can be represented by different letters or combinations of letters, often depending on the words' origins.

The strength of the English language is that people can write it correctly world-wide, regardless of regional pronunciations. English spelling is much better than people think it is. That is because writing systems do not aim to represent the actual sounds of talking, which we do not hear, but the abstract units of language underlying them, which we do hear. (Steven Pinker. The language instinct. 1994.)

Where spelling fits in the sequence
Spelling is the part of the scaffolding literacy sequence where most of the teaching about symbol/sound relationships and about visual patterns in English words takes place.

This teaching begins in the high order book orientation, where, as would be expected in scaffolded learning, the emphasis varies depending on the grade level and the ability of the children. In early kindergarten the high order book orientation includes much opportunity to identify first letters, for grade 2 we indicated the unfamiliar-looking word 'queue', for the upper grades we might point out the spelling of a word like 'psychology' at this time.

The teaching continues through transformations before the focus of the spelling section.

In Scaffolding Literacy, symbol/sound relationships and visual patterns are taught in conjunction with each other.

The words chosen for analysis are words whose meanings are very well known. This is essential as the sound of words is so individual to the listener. To ensure this, the words are chosen from text that children can read fluently and whose meaning is understood.

Once children are confident with word analysis in context, we extend into related words that do not appear in the text. We show how to decode 'mystery' words, using knowledge from known words.

As many words as possible are taught before children are asked to write, so that children are not asked to 'invent' without sufficient resources to do so in a productive way.

Children are asked to match the visual patterns in the word to the sounds they make when speaking the word - note that this allows for different pronunciations and for the implications of Pinker's comment above - children do not have to speak a word 'correctly' to match sound with symbol.

Note that children with 'poor' auditory analysis learn to spell when they are very familiar with the meaning of words are taught how to look at words.

'Visual patterns in English words are many and complex. It takes time, curiosity and much exploration for a child to master these patterns. This involves a high degree of risk taking and therefore of confidence.' Scaffolding Transitional Spellers (Schools and Community Centre 1998)

Scaffolding Literacy provides a context where it is safe to take risks.

How we teach

1. Words are chosen from the text we are studying.
2. Transformations provide word cards. The teacher checks that children can recognise the words out of context. S/he plays games to assist this.
3. The teacher chunks the words into letter patterns. How to decide on the chunks appears later.
a. She makes sure that the text from which the word is taken is visible
b. She makes two copies of the word on card, one remains intact as a reference point
c. She cuts the second copy into the identified chunks
d. Children say what sound they match to each letter pattern
e. Games are played with the chunks to encourage looking - eg teacher turns over one chunk and challenges children to say what letters have been turned over
f. Children might write single chunks on their chalkboards as described for whole words in #7.

4. The children practise writing the words. This practice is done as a whole class, on individual chalkboards. Each child has a moist (prevents flying chalk dust) sponge and can erase errors instantly (safe). The teacher asks children to check their spelling as she revisits the word one chunk at a time on her own board - that is, no-one but the child (and of course the teacher unbeknownst to the child) knows that the child has made an error (safe.) Children quietly correct their errors and identify the part in the word that is tricky for them. Children practise each word several times.

5. Look, cover, write and say, check. This encourages remembering what words look like and checking in chunks, rather than rattling off single letters.

6. The words are practised in context in Easy Spelling. Easy Spelling is described here.

7. Charts of studied letter patterns are begun and displayed in the classroom. These are added to as the same letter patterns are found in other words. These lists of very familiar words are used later for extended word study.

• We find that we run out of wall space for these charts, and it is important to have them readily available. Two suggestions are:-
  1. Join cardboard charts together in alphabetical order by the first letter of the letter pattern. This makes it easy for children to add new words, but it gets unweildy.
  2. Keep paper charts in A3 plastic sleeves in A3 folders. This is easy to use, but is more difficult for children to add new words.

8. Charts of studied words are regularly revisited so that children keep improving their automatic spelling and decoding ability.

How to decide on chunks (letter patterns) in words
These considerations are based on Scaffolding Transitional Spellers. Schools and Community Centre. 1998. p. 19, using words from The 27th annual African hippopotamus race, chapter 6.

Consider:

Compound words	any thing
Syllables	hipp o pot a mus swagg er ing (Note that the suffix is determining the last syllable, not the sound, which might lead you to swagg e ring. Note also that both the letter pattern 'er' and the function of the second 'g' determine where you break the first syllable.)
Base word and prefixes and suffixes	whisper ed go ing announce d
Changed base word for suffixes	travel l ing big g est
Onset/rhyme (identified by cutting the core word before the first vowel)	br ight sh out ed j oin
You can cut after the vowel unit	sh ou t ed squ ea l
Note that onset/rhyme and vowel units lead you to the kind of decisions you get on commercially available charts of letter patterns. In Scaffolding Literacy we make our own charts, so that children are scaffolded into understanding what they mean.