Gentry's development in spelling

Pre-Communicative 
Child knows that the symbols create a message and have a meaning. Symbols used may be invented.  

Semi-Phonetic
Child is beginning to understand that a letter has a sound and often words are abbreviated or there are a combination of abbreviated forms and pictures.  

Phonetic
Children operate on a sound-symbol basis, however this can violate the accepted letter strings of English. There are spellings such as 'wnt' for went and 'monstr' for monster. Many are at this stage in primary school.

Transitional
This moves beyond the sound-symbol basis, and children use spellings that refelct the accepted letter strings of English. They are beginning to appreciate the visual aspects of spelling.

Correct
This is the emergence of the abilities of a fully competent speller

• They use visual statergies
• They have an understanding of the basic spelling patterns in English 
• They have a knowledge of word structure
• They use a large 'automatic' spelling vocabulary 
• They have the ability to distinguis homonyms 
• They have a growing control over the spelling of loaned and Latinate words