Understanding spelling benefits less able and youngest the most.

Does explaining the spelling of a word help kids read and write it?

Pete Bowers says that it does and that the less able and the younger benefit the most.

Read the proof at http://files.realspellers.org/PetesFolder/Articles/Devonshire_Morris_Fluck_2013.pdf

Pete Bowers PhD founded WordWorks Literacy Center in Ontario, Canada. He has worked as an elementary classroom teacher, researcher, writer, wordster and worldwide presenter.

Pete says teaching phonics and sight words is not enough. The form of a word - e.g. its suffixes or prefixes, can be introduced and explained even at a very early stage, in order to explain spelling, and the origin of the word, too, if that helps.

I thoroughly agree and I have found those who struggle with, say, here and hear, are not just the less able spellers, but also the more logical thinkers. Once they are given reasons for the choice of letters they learn fast.