<p> Spelling Development</p><p>5 Year Old Continues to be largely prephonemic or early phonemic - initial consonants begin to appear as representing words and are sometimes strung together in sentences as ISTBFL (I see the butterfly)</p><p>6 Year Old Letter naming (I lik to et candee -- I like to eat candy) and "transitional" spelling (My frends ride bickes) predominate at this age; growing sense of phonetic clues is emerging and should be taught extensively</p><p>7 Year Old Correct spelling slowly emerges from transitional with increased phonetic and sight word fluency; a formal spelling program appropriately begins; "invented" spelling should still be accepted because revision is still not seen as necessary or important; capitalization and punctuation easily taught</p><p>8 Year Old Correct spelling improves; compound words taught; use of dictionary, alphabetical order; phonetic mistake patterns more noticeable and students with real difficulty in spelling easier to spot; practice with capitalization and punctuation continues</p><p>9 Year Old Use of dictionary improves as does first draft spelling; functional spelling as in journals, other subject writing shows increasingly fewer mistakes; weekly testing appropriate; basic capitalization and punctuation usually mastered</p><p>10 Year Old Enjoy memorizing spelling lists and are challenged positively by difficult words; ability to do well on tests and to spell well functionally do not always coincide</p><p>11 Year Old Accurate or difficult depending on child; most enjoy challenge or difficult words; dictionary skills emphasized</p><p>12 Year Old Functional for most; use of "spell checks" for those severely challenged as well as other computer interventions</p><p>"Yardsticks; Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14" by Chip Wood</p>