“English Spelling Makes No Sense”: Demystifying English Spelling through Structured Word Inquiry

Why are words that rhyme, like right and write, spelled completely differently? Why is there a “w” in the word “two?” Why does the “a” in “want” make the same sound as the “o” in “hop?”

English spelling can seem like a nightmare, especially if your child struggles. Children are taught to “sound out the word” when reading. They are told to listen to the sounds in the word and then use the letters that match the sounds to spell a word. These techniques work well when reading or spelling a word like “cat,” but what about a word like “sign” or “when?” These may be considered “sight words” and must be memorized. Or maybe there is an exception to a rule that has already been learned, and then an exception to the exception.

Let me offer you some relief in knowing there are more effective ways of learning spelling other than sounding it out, memorizing, and learning exceptions to the rules.

4 Ways to Enhance a Child’s Ability to Spell

1. Understand the meaning of the word

English spelling is based on meaning, not sound. Why are to, too, and two spelled differently? Because they have different meanings! For example, there is a “w” in “two” to tie it to words like twin, twelve, twilight, and between.

Did you have an ah-ha moment there?

2. Learn the etymology of the word

Etymology (word origin) plays a big role in spelling. Here are some examples:

• The “ph” in phone, photo, and elephant comes from Greek.

• The “sub” in “subway” and “suburb” is Latin.

• The words “mouse” and “muscle” come from the same Old English root word, mus. The movement and shape of a bicep muscle was thought to look like a little mouse under the skin.

Interesting and helpful, right?

3. Understand how the parts of words combine

Understanding how parts of words (bases, prefixes, and suffixes) combine to make new words, also enhances a child’s ability to spell. For example, we know if someone “played,” the suffix  “ed” tells us it happened in the past. The words signal and assignment both have the base “sign,” which means “a gesture or action used to convey information or instructions.” Both signals and assignments convey information. In the words automobile and autograph, the prefix “auto” means “self.”

4. Give children flexibility when spelling and reading

Finally, children need flexibility when spelling and reading English because the same letter or group of letters can make multiple sounds. The grapheme “oo” sounds completely different in “cook,” “tool,” and “flood.” The letter “s” says “sss” at the end of boots, and “zzz” at the end of “plays.” The grapheme “ch” has completely different sounds in “chase” and “school.”

Structured Word Inquiry (SWI)

The 4 methods listed above are a part of an evidence-based practice called Structured Word Inquiry (SWI). Using SWI methods, children can learn phonology (the sounds that make up a word), orthography (the spelling of the word), morphology (the parts of the word and how they fit together) and as mentioned above, etymology (the origin of the word).

Each word studied provides opportunities to learn multiple lessons that can be applied to other words in the future. There are a few rules to learn, but once they are mastered, English spelling becomes less of a mystery. Since this method is inquiry-based, asking questions and making hypotheses is part of the journey. Over time, children gain the ability to research a word independently and become comfortable not having all the answers right away. 

The moral of the story is that English spelling DOES make sense and is possible to learn with the right approach.

Summer Programs in Evanston for Children Ages 8-12

If your child needs help with reading and spelling, consider enrolling them in our summer Word Detectives class. Individual speech therapy services are also available for children who struggle with literacy skills. Please do not hesitate to call our clinic with questions or for more information.