B2.2. Applying Orthographic Knowledge
Orthographic knowledge involves understanding that phonemes can be spelled in various ways and knowing how to choose the correct graphemes for spelling.
Overall, students learn that:
- There are multiple ways to spell some phonemes
- The position of the sound in a word often influences the spelling
- The position of a grapheme in a word often influences its pronunciation
NOTE: The B2 continuum outlines a scope and sequence for teaching orthographic knowledge. The spelling knowledge taught in Grade 2 should be reviewed and consolidated, and there are some new parts of the code to introduce this year.
During Grade 2, the focus was on:
- Reading and spelling words using phonemes and graphemes that have been explicitly taught, including:
- <–ar>, <–or> = /er/ (e.g., dollar, doctor)
- <air>, <are>, <ear> = /air/
- <ear> = /ear/ (e.g., bear)
- alternate long /ā/: <ei>, <ey>, <eigh>, <ea>
- alternate long /u/: <ew>, <eu>, <ue> = /yū/; <ou> = /ü/ (e.g., soup)
- <ough> = /aw/
- signal vowels (<e>, <i>, <y>) for soft <c> and soft <g>
- <ch> = /sh/, /k/
- <gn> = /n/
- <gh> = /g/
- Consolidating common ending spelling patterns and suffix spelling changes through regular, systematic review.
New for Grade 3:
- Consolidating the concepts learned in previous grades through regular, systematic review.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all expectations in this strand. For a more detailed view, please see the official Ontario curriculum.
A Note About Programs: Using a phonics program that has a detailed scope and sequence, simple-to-follow daily routines, and pre-made lesson plans can significantly reduce the time needed for planning in this area. Your board may have selected a program they are encouraging you to use. There are advantages to using a common scope and sequence across your school or board, however there is no one Ministry recommended program.
Further Reading
- How Spelling Supports Reading (Moats, 2006)
- Evidence Challenges Teaching Words by “Sight” (Moats, 2020)
- Spelling in a Complex Orthography: Can knowing better really help do better? (Stone, 2022)
Suggested Resources
- Applying Orthographic Knowledge: An Overview
- ONlit vowel frequency chart
- Spelling Pattern Reference Guide
- Search “Orthographic knowledge” in the Resource Library for more!
