Learning to Spell Words: Findings, Theories, and Issues

There has been less research on how children learn to spell than on how they learn to read, but a good deal is now known about spelling development. This article reviews studies of normative development, beginning with children’s early scribbles and proceeding to prephonological spelling involving letters, phonologically influenced invented spelling, and more advanced spelling. Most of the studies deal with spelling development in alphabetic writing systems. Theories about how children learn to spell, including constructivist theories, stage and phase theories, dual-route theories, and Integration of Multiple Patterns, are presented and reviewed in light of the research evidence. The final section of the article discusses directions for future research and implications for children with spelling difficulties.