Invented
Spelling
Writing is powerful way to help students develop their
phonemic awareness and basic phonics knowledge. "Invented
spelling" is
a term that describes the way young children write words based
on their knowledge
of the letters and their sounds. For example, a young child might
write "GRL" for
girl or "blun" for balloon. Unconventional spellings
like these provide insight into a child's developing understanding
of
how written language works. Research suggests that encouraging
children to use invented spellings may enhance their phonological
awareness
development and foster writing motivation and ability.
Why should
teachers and parents encourage developing readers and writers to
use invented spelling?
- 1. Invented spelling may strengthen children's
understanding of sound-symbol relationships.
- Adams (1991) suggests
that the use of invented spelling may encourage children to
develop a strong sense of the relationship
between
spoken and written words. When they are encouraged to "spell
words they way the sound," children may develop an
independent, intrinsic interest in the text in their environment.
- 2. Invented spelling may foster writing fluency.
- In a study comparing children who were taught using traditional
spelling instruction and children who were encouraged to use invented
spelling, Clarke (1989) found that children who used invented spellings
wrote longer stories and demonstrated higher skill at word recognition.
It is possible that the children focused more on their ideas, which
compelled them to write freely and creatively.
How and when will children
learn to spell words correctly?
Learning to spell is a developmental
process. Invented spelling is one stage of spelling development.
Several researchers have
found
that when children are encouraged to use their knowledge of
sound-symbol correspondence (a.k.a. "invented spelling"),
they strengthen their understanding of the connection between sounds
and written
language -- even if the spelling is unconventional (Rasinski & Padak,
2004). Lots of time spent reading and writing, in combination
with word study
instruction, will help children develop increasing proficiency
with conventional spelling.
Burns, Griffin, and Snow (1999)
point out the value of invented spelling in allowing young
children to express their thoughts
in writing:
"It is important for parents and teachers to understand that
invented spelling is not in conflict with correct spelling. On the
contrary,
it plays an important role in helping children learn how to
write. When children use invented spelling, they are in fact exercising their
growing knowledge of phonemes, the letters of the alphabet,
and their
confidence in the alphabetic principle. A child's 'iz' for
the conventional 'is' can be celebrated as quite a breakthrough! It is the kind
of error
that shows you that the child is thinking independently and
quite analytically about the sounds of words and the logic of spelling." (p.
102)
What it Looks Like
What are the stages of spelling development?
This site includes examples of student writing at different developmental
stages.
http://www.readingrockets.org/firstyear/fyt.php?CAT=34
 Teacher Tips
How do you encourage writing in your classroom? Submit your
ideas here!
Suggested Resources
Articles
Invented Spelling and Spelling Development by Elaine Lutz (1986)
http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/267
Invented Spelling and
Spelling Development (ERIC Digest)
http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-924/spelling.htm
Books
What Did I Write?: Beginning Writing Behaviour by
Marie M. Clay. (Heinemann, 1975)
GNYS at Work: A Child Learns to Write
and Read by Glenda L. Bissex (Harvard University Press,
2004).
References
Adams, M. (1991). Beginning to read: Thinking and
learning about print. London: The MIT Press.
Burns, M.S, Griffin, P., & Snow, C.E. (Eds.). (1999). Starting
out right: A guide to promoting children's reading
success. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Available online:
http://www.nap.edu/html/sor/
Clay, M. M. (1985). The early detection
of reading difficulties (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Clarke.
L. K. (1989). Encouraging invented spelling in first graders' writing:
Effects on learning
to spell and read.
Research in the
Teaching of English, 22, 281-309.
Rasinski,
T. & Padak, N. (2004). Effective reading strategies:
Teaching children who find reading difficult,
3rd ed. Columbus, OH: Pearson.
|
