What is inventive spelling?

Inventive spelling refers to the practice of allowing or encouraging beginning readers to write any way they want. The idea is that the act of writing, for the beginner, is more important than correctness of form (correct spelling). Eventually, according to this school of thought, the student will learn and use the correct form.

Here are some benefits of inventive spelling:

• Inventive spelling encourages learners to

  • produce their own creative writing patterns, and
  • write and experiment with letters and shapes without being expected to follow conventional rules.

• Using inventive spelling

• Concept module: inventive spelling
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): I
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 16 March 1999

© 1999 SIL International