Words Their Way

Krissy Pierce
Zion School District 6

Spelling
Stages

Spelling Stages
Emergent - not yet ready for words - uses
letters, pictures, scribbles, etc.
Letter Name (beginning reading stage)word sorts, letter names, alphabetic spells like
mine = M
MN MIN
drive = JV JRF DRIV
sick = S SC SK SEK

Spelling Stages (continued)

Within Words (transitional readers) usually know beginning/ending sounds, but
are working at basic patterns and show
some logic to their choices- spells like:
seat = SEET
SETE
cry = CRIE
laugh = LAFE
nail = NALE

Spelling Stages (continued)

Syllables & Affixes (intermediate readers) know basic spelling rules, but beginning to
study how syllables are joined and how
affixes effect the spelling - spells like:
hopping = HOPING
confusion = CONFUSSHUN
capture = CAPCHUR

Spelling Stages (continued)

Derivational Relations (advanced readers) understanding expands and elaborates and
begins to become a vocabulary exploration
- spells like:
solemn = SOLEM
opposition = OPPISITION
criticize = CRITASIZE

Scoring a Spelling Inventory