Transform spelling from rote memorization

into meaningful, student-centered learning.

The Phonics Handbook of Spelling Instruction is your comprehensive guide to teaching spelling in grades 1–6 with confidence and clarity. Whether you're working with a required curriculum or designing your own, this book provides everything you need to move beyond "assign, memorize, test, forget" and toward instruction that truly sticks.

Start with insight. Initial inventories reveal each student's current spelling abilities, giving you a clear picture of where to begin.

Build with intention. A proven five-day routine puts students at the center of their own learning:

• Pretest Day — Students pretest on patterns, then choose personalized word lists based on their results
• Sorting Day — Within a community of learners, students sort their words and share discoveries: "I sorted my words and noticed..." This collaborative exploration uncovers patterns, commonalities, and differences
• Word Hunt Day — Students search authentic texts for words containing the patterns they're studying, connecting learning to real reading
• Writing Day — Students use their personal lists to create original texts, seamlessly integrating spelling with broader language arts instruction
• Post-Test Day — Students demonstrate mastery of their personalized lists, then collaborate to select "anchor words" for a growing classroom display that serves as an ongoing resource

The result? Students don't just memorize words—they understand patterns, make meaningful connections, and build lasting literacy skills.

The Phonics Handbook of Spelling Instruction empowers you to teach spelling that matters, spelling that lasts, and spelling that students actually use when it counts.

Mary Jo Fresch, Ph.D., is an Academy Professor and Professor Emeritus from The Ohio State University. An educator for over 40years, she’s taught 3rd grade, adult literacy, and literacy methods for pre- and in-service teachers. Her writing and professional learning workshops focus on literacy learning, with a particular love of phonics and spelling. Mary Jo lives in Dublin, Ohio with her husband, Hank.