About this video

• Video Title: Spelling with Regular Words, Rule Words, and Irregular Words
• Channel: Center for Dyslexia MTSU
• Speakers: Dr. Suzanne Carriker
• Duration: 1:16:01

Overview

This video features Dr. Suzanne Carriker discussing the importance of spelling for reading and confidence. She categorizes spellers into "Friday Spellers," "Safe Spellers," and "Bizarre Spellers," explaining their characteristics and how understanding spelling patterns is crucial for improvement. Dr. Carriker also analyzes common spelling errors, introduces a rubric for assessment, and delves into various spelling patterns and rules related to Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Greek word origins.

Key takeaways

• Orthographic Memory: Good spellers possess strong orthographic memory, which is the memory for the correct writing of words, not just visual memory.
• Types of Spellers:
  • Friday Spellers: Memorize words for tests but forget them afterward.
  • Safe Spellers: Only use words they know how to spell, leading to simplistic writing despite potentially sophisticated oral language.
  • Bizarre Spellers: Struggle to connect sounds and letters, often impacting decoding as well.
• Spelling and Decoding: Spelling and decoding are two sides of the same coin, with spelling going from sound to letter and decoding from letter to sound. The ability to spell a word implies the ability to read it, but not necessarily vice-versa.
• Analyzing Spelling Errors: Errors provide insight into a student's understanding and areas needing instruction. A rubric is presented to categorize errors from 0 (random strings of letters) to 4 (overgeneralization of patterns).
• Layers of English Words: The video touches on the origins of English words from Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Greek, highlighting how these origins influence spelling patterns and rules.
• Rule Words: These words require specific knowledge of doubling, dropping, or changing letters when adding suffixes.
• Irregular Words: These words are spelled in unexpected ways and often require memorization or specific strategies like tracing and copying.

Here are some spelling instructional suggestions presented in the video:

• Teach Phonological, Orthographic, and Morphological Patterns: Emphasize understanding the patterns within the language to build orthographic memory.
• Use Mnemonics: Employ memory aids to help students remember spelling rules and patterns (e.g., "keep the kite in the sky" for when to use 'K').
• Focus on Sound-Letter Correspondence: For students struggling with basic sound-letter mapping, use strategies like:
  • Moving blocks for each sound in a word.
  • Matching sounds to letter tiles.
• Address Sound Discrimination: For students confusing similar sounds, use mirrors to help them see the mouth movements for each sound and explain the difference in how sounds are produced (voiced vs. unvoiced).
• Teach Spelling Patterns and Rules Explicitly:
  • Explain when to use different spellings for the same sound based on position in the word (e.g., 'OI' vs. 'OY').
  • Teach rules for doubling final consonants, dropping the silent 'e', and changing 'y' to 'i'.
• Analyze Spelling Errors: Use student errors to identify specific areas of difficulty and tailor instruction accordingly.
• Trace and Copy: For irregular or difficult words, have students trace, copy, and mentally rehearse the word multiple times to build memory.
• Spelling Pronunciation: Encourage students to pronounce words as they are spelled, even if it differs from the common pronunciation, to reinforce spelling.
• Word Analysis: Encourage students to break down words, identify sounds, and match them to their graphemes, considering the word's origin and patterns.
• Repetition and Practice: Consistent practice helps students internalize patterns and rules, building their confidence and accuracy.