Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English
Writing, Language: Phonics and word knowledge
Level 3:
Understand how to use letter-sound relationships and less common letter combinations to spell words (VCELA263)
Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Pathway B
Reading and viewing
Level BL:
Level B1:
- Identify common syllables and patterns within words
(VCEALL288)
Level B2:
- Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to read new words with some support
(VCEALL368)
Level B3:
- Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to deduce the pronunciation of new words
(VCEALL447)
Writing
Level BL:
- Spell a number of high-frequency words accurately
(VCEALL237)
Level B1:
- Spell accurately common words encountered in the classroom
(VCEALL318)
Level B2:
- Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy
(VCEALL398)
Level B3:
- Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident
(VCEALL477)
Theory/practice connections
A spelling pattern is a group of letters that represents a sound. Spelling patterns include groups of letters, for example, ought and igh, as well as digraphs, that is two or more letters that represent one speech sound, for example oi (vowel digraph) and ch (consonant digraph).
Exploration of spelling patterns helps writers to become more aware of visual patterns in written English, the possible sequence of letters in English and that most spelling patterns represent a variety of sounds. This supports writers in visualising and remembering words (Snowball & Bolton, 1999, pp.100-101).
Learning Intentions
We are learning that the spelling pattern oi usually makes the /oi/ sound like in coin
Success Criteria
I can identify words that contain the oi spelling pattern.
I can make some generalisations about the oi spelling patterns in words I read and write.
Role of the writer
Text encoder:
- representing sounds with particular spelling patterns
- recognising the possible letter sequences in English
Group Size
Whole class, or small group (4-6 students).
Lesson Sequence
- Reread the picture book aloud to students for pleasure.
- On the front cover ask students to look for a word that contains the oi spelling pattern - voices (Remember we look for spelling patterns and listen for sounds). Record this word on a class chart.
- In pairs, students look through other familiar big books, picture books or charts and search for words with the oi pattern (for example, coin, join, oil, choice, noisy, tortoise). Continue to add these to the class chart. Only add words that are volunteered by the students as these will be the ones that are used and understood.
- Once a number of words have been listed, ask students to identify the different sounds the spelling pattern oi represents.
- Write each word on a card and guide students to group words according to the different sounds made by the spelling pattern. The groups might look like this:
- /oi/, voices, coin, noisy
- /Ə/, tortoise, porpoise
- Distribute the word cards to pairs of students. Have students practise reading words and listening for the sound that the oi pattern makes.
- Encourage students to make generalisations about what they have learned about the oi spelling pattern:
- What sound do the letters oi usually make?
- In which position in words does this letter pattern always/sometimes/never occur?
- Write and date these generalisations on a class chart. These can be revisited and modified as students read and write further throughout the year. For example:
- The oi spelling pattern only represents two sounds.
- There are more words where oi makes the /oi/ sound than the /Ə/ sound.
- The oi spelling pattern is found at the beginning and in the middle of words but not at the end of words.
- Display words on class chart and continue to add to these lists during subsequent reading and writing sessions.
- Students can be encouraged to return to some of their own writing and use their new knowledge about this spelling pattern to proofread their writing.
- Regularly talk with students about how knowing how to spell one word on the class list will help them spell other words. This is also known as spelling by analogy. Knowing how to spell oil will help you to spell soil and boil.
Differentiation
By analysing students’ writing and spelling errors, possible spelling patterns for exploration can be identified. Students can be grouped for learning according to common errors made with spelling patterns.