RETA Session: How Spelling Instruction Can Improve Reading

How Spelling Instruction Can Improve Reading

It’s a challenging task to help all students become literate, in part because students come to school with different backgrounds and varying needs. With effective instruction, most students will develop the skills they need in order to read and comprehend independently. However, in every classroom there will be students who struggle to develop reading skills and even more students who will have difficulty with spelling.

Given these realities, shouldn’t we deemphasize spelling in order to focus on the essential task of reading? Although that seems logical, research indicates that we should do exactly the opposite!

In this webinar, we will discuss the power of teaching reading by teaching spelling. We will examine the information encoded in written words and the functions of spelling. We’ll look at examples of complex, challenging words (as well as some very basic ones) and see how we can use the structural elements within words—their morphology—to unlock their meaning and understand their spelling, reducing memorization requirements for students. And we’ll see that written words are much more than simply spoken words written down.

The concepts discussed in this talk are essential knowledge for those who care about literacy. They allow teachers to efficiently and effectively develop reading and spelling skills in their students while expanding their vocabulary development. They hold particular power and importance when working with students with dyslexia or those who struggle with literacy for any reason.