Spelling as a Vocabulary Tool

Lecture 31

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hroughout this course, we’ve been tapping into the spelling-meaning
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out of the spelling-meaning connection, it’s helpful to understand the three
layers of information in the English spelling system that we’ll explore in this
lecture: alphabet, pattern, and meaning. When you see how all three layers
work together, you’ll have a better appreciation for the vocabulary we’ve
been learning.

Spelling Patterns
z Even though you may not be consciously aware of it, you already
know many spelling patterns in English.
ż For example, with a two-syllable word in which the vowel
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doubled. This pattern appears in such words as better, rabbit,
and sudden.

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is long, the following consonant is usually not doubled. This

pattern appears in such words as pilot and vacant.

z These “to double or not to double” patterns with short and long

vowels are two high-utility patterns contained in a host of English

words. In fact, English has scores of similar spelling patterns, which

means that the language has a much more regular spelling system

than most people think.

Alphabetic Layer
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as they learn to read and write. A child learning the alphabetic layer