A special education teacher uses formative assessment to monitor spelling progress of a first-grade student with a specific learning disability (SLD). The student writes “kom” instead of “come” in a journal entry. Based on this information, in which stage of spelling development should the teacher adjust instruction?

The correct stage refers to a level where students spell words accurately and consistently, demonstrating a solid grasp of spelling rules and conventions. Since the student spelled “come” as “kom”, this indicates that they are not in the correct stage, as their spelling does not reflect accurate spelling conventions.

The semiphonetic stage involves children beginning to understand the relationship between sounds and letters, often using single letters to represent sounds. While the student is using some phonetic sounds, “kom” indicates that they are further along than just representing individual sounds, leaning more towards the phonetic stage rather than semiphonetic.

In the transitional stage, students start to apply spelling patterns and rules from sight words and develop an understanding of phonics. The spelling “kom” does not reflect the transitional stage, as it lacks the complexity and understanding of spelling patterns typical of this level, indicating that the student is still developing basic phonetic skills.