B2.5. 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
The B2 continuum outlines a scope and sequence for teaching orthographic knowledge.
During Kindergarten, the focus was on:
Reading and spelling words using phonemes and corresponding graphemes that were explicitly taught.
New for Grade 1:
- Spellings of the /k/ sound
- The most frequent spellings for final consonant sounds after a short vowel
- /ch/ spelled <-tch>
- /j/ spelled <-dge>
- The FLSZ doubling rule <-ff>, <-ll>, <-ss>, <-zz>
- Common ending spelling patterns
- Long vowels in VCC words
- <–ild>, <–old>, <–ind>, <–olt>, <–ost>)
- Long vowel /ī/ and /ē/ spelled <y>
- consonant <–le> (e.g., bundle)
- I J U V spelling rule
- Positional spellings for
- <ai> vs <ay>
- <oi> vs. <oy>
- <ou> vs. <ow>
- Plural <-s> vs. <-es>
- Irregular plurals
- Suffix spelling changes
- Doubling rule for <-ed>,<ing>
- Doubling rule for <-er>, <-est>
- Dropping <-e> rule
<-y> to <i> rule
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)
- Spelling: Visible Language to Inform Instruction and Intervention (Kastner, 2022)
