Early intervention for spelling problems: Teaching functional spelling units of varying size with a multiple-connections framework

Poor spellers in 2nd grade (n = 128) participated in 24 20-min sessions tha t included (a) direct instruction in the alphabet principle (most frequent phoneme-spelling connections); (b) modeling of different approaches, singly and in combination, for developing connections between spoken and written words for 48 words ordered by sound-spelling predictability; and (c) practi ce in composing. Results of this multilayered intervention showed that (a) more than 1 way of developing sound-spelling connections is effective in te aching spelling but that after training in the alphabet principle, combinin g whole word and onset-rime training is most effective in achieving transfe r of the alphabet principle across word contexts; (b) functional spelling u nits of not only a single letter but also 2 or more letters are important i n beginning spelling; and (c) training in spelling transfers to composition and word recognition.