Kid Writing-Invented Spelling

A fourth option students relied on during the composition process was invented spelling. Ouellette and Sènèchal (2017) define invented spelling as, “children’s spontaneous or self-directed attempts to represent words in print” (p. 77). Invented spelling is a representation of how the student interprets phonology, letter knowledge, and conventional spelling patterns. In early childhood, students move from mimicking writing to incorporating meaningful sound and grapheme connections. We noticed students would default to invented spelling when they knew the word was not in one of their resources or did not remember studying the word. By continuously encouraging the students to use invented spelling during Kid Writing compositions, the participant educators noticed students gradually incorporating a larger variety of words throughout the school year, rather than solely relying on words they already knew. Encouraging invented spelling also allows the student to stay focused on composing (putting their ideas on paper), rather than getting distracted with spelling every word correctly.

References

Ouellet, G., & Sènèchal, M. (2017). Invented spelling in kindergarten as a predictor of reading and spelling in grade 1: A new pathway to literacy, or just the same road, less known? Developmental Psychology, 53(1), 77-88. http://doi-org.databases.wtamu.edu/10.1037/dev0000179