I have been called “the spelling lady”. Spelling (going from sound to letter) strongly reinforces reading (going from letter to sound). “During America’s Colonial days schools considered spelling an integral part of reading and therefore gave much attention to spelling. During the 20th century, an attitude of indifference came to prevail and spelling instruction was neglected. Recently however, there has been a resurgence of interest in the cognitive processes that underlie spelling and their development.”[1] I argue that explicit spelling instruction is the missing link in many reading initiatives.
Many of us take reading and writing for granted. I am a visual learner which means I am able to recognize a word by sight. Have you ever written two spellings for the same word down on paper and then chose the correct spelling by what looks right? If so, you are probably a visual learner too. However, when rote memory fails, which it almost always does, we rely on phonology. Students with little phonological awareness need these skills modelled and mediated.
My book, Naughty C, should be available on-line and in book stores soon. Stay tuned for the announcement of the book release. It is a story on the two sounds of the letter C. Why and when does the letter C say the sound of /S/? And why and when does it say the sound of /K/? You’ll find the answer in Naughty C.
[1] Aaron, P., Joshi, R. M., Quatroche, D. (2008). Becoming a professional reading teacher. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
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