W8 Spelling Flashcards
Why is spelling important?
It represents spoken language in printed symbols, aids communication, enhances perceived intelligence, and frees cognitive resources.
What is the relationship between spelling and reading?
Spelling can be viewed as the reverse of reading: converting sounds into letters.
What are “shallow” orthographies?
Writing systems with one-to-one grapheme-phoneme correspondences, where what you see is what you say (e.g., Italian).
What are “deep” orthographies?
Writing systems with inconsistent grapheme-phoneme correspondences, where there is more than one way to write or pronounce sounds (e.g., English).
How did English spelling develop its current form?
It reflects spoken English from the 14th-15th centuries, influenced by historical pronunciations, scribes’ choices, the printing press, and spelling reformers.
What role did dictionaries play in English spelling?
They introduced rigid standards of correctness and preserved spellings despite changes in pronunciation.
What phonological skill is essential for spelling?
Mastery of sound patterns and the alphabetic principle (grapheme-phoneme correspondences).
Define graphotactics.
The conventions about how and where letters are arranged in written language, including letter order and positioning.
What is morphological spelling?
Spelling that reflects the grammatical categories of words, showing consistent spelling for inflections and derivations.
What evidence suggests early morphological knowledge in children?
Studies show that children can spell inflected words correctly before mastering all aspects of spelling.
What does the Integration of Multiple Patterns (IMP) model propose?
It focuses on the multiple cues (phonological, graphotactic, morphological) available for spellings, emphasizing that more cues lead to better spelling accuracy.
What challenges exist in potentially simplifying English spelling?
Different pronunciations in various dialects could lead to inconsistencies, and valuable linguistic information may be lost.
How has electronic communication influenced spelling?
It has led to the emergence of informal spelling variations, known as “Textese.”
Why might we not learn spelling in a simple stage-like progression?
Some spelling patterns are acquired earlier or later than traditional models suggest, indicating a more complex learning process.
